made in Glasgow
This green transfer-printed earthenware soup plate was made for export to South East Asia, by the Glasgow potters, J. & M.P. Bell & Co. Ltd. The pattern is called 'CELEBES' and was registered in 1890.
The centre shows an elongated quatrefoil containing a dragon. The border pattern consists of scallop shells and swags of fringing, interrupted by two lyre motifs and two circles.
Bells were exporting pottery in large quantities during the second half of the 19th century. They developed a range of designs specially geared to the Eastern market based on oriental motifs and subjects. The designs were often named using the local language.
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