Hi Friends! I have another interesting piece of antique English earthenware to share with you today. This 10 inch 'silicon china' plate was manufactured by Booths Ltd in 1916.
Silicon china was the result of a pottery manufacturing method that utilized a technique called tin-glazing. Tin-glazing was a glaze that contained tin oxide and produced a white, shiny, opaque background surface that imitated Chinese porcelain and supported brightly painted decorations.
Indeed, the lovely chinese-inspired floral motif of pink and blue stylized peonies, other red flowers, and free flowing vines of 'greenery' have certainly retained their eye-catching bright colors for over one hundred years now!
I'm sure you will agree that the Booths Ltd claim of "Opaque Porcelain of the Finest Quality" was indeed true, especially when considering that their silicon china was used in the catering markets such as in hotels and on sea liners and railways. Surely this high quality earthenware would have greatly enhanced the dining experience of any travelers lucky enough to experience it.
No doubt the longevity of the colors we are looking at here can be attributed to the meticulousness of the tin-glaze method. Tin-glaze was applied to red or buff-colored earthenware and the decoration was applied to the unfired glaze surface by brush with metallic oxides such as cobalt oxide, copper oxide, iron oxide, manganese dioxide and antimony oxide.
When I first saw this floral plate at the charity shop I knew right away that it was hand painted but I did not know until I brought it home and researched the Booths Ltd company what a gem of a plate this truly is!
My initial thought was that it is definitely a chinoiserie revival era piece because of the stylized peonies. Upon further investigation, as mentioned above, I discovered that the bright white opaque surface is a Chinese influence. And then I discovered the 1916 date of manufacture impressed into the earthenware, near the inked back stamp which further confirmed my initial thought that this, indeed, was an early 20th century piece.
Not only have the colors retained their magnificent brightness, but also the overall excellent condition is quite impressive and a result of the loving care its predecessors gave it. There are some normal wear marks from it having been used but no chips, cracks or crazing. I cannot even find a fleabite! There is still a lot of life left in this old plate and I intend to help it in its journey further into the future.
I hope you have enjoyed this edition of Vintage Finds and I'll see you again soon. Thank you!
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