made in Glasgow
This blue and red 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 'KAPAL BASAR' and was registered in 1891.
The centre shows a ship with a square centre sail and oars. In the sky above is a dragon with a double body. The border pattern consists of bars and crosses forming a chequered design bordered by scallops and scrolls.
During the second half of the 19th century Bells developed a range of designs specially geared to the Eastern market. One of the design innovations used by them was the two-coloured printed pattern, where the central motif and border were of different colours, as in this example.
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