made in Glasgow
This 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 'DRAGON' and was registered in 1899.
The centre shows a fire-breathing dragon with stylised clouds of smoke. The border design consists of four equidistant scallop-edged frames each depicting a dragon. These frames are separated by branches with stylised flowers.
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.
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