The expansion of European colonial territories in the 19th century also translated into potential new markets for industries and businesses to tap into. One such industry was that of ceramic ware, particularly that of dining ware. Pottery makers in Europe thus began to produce export ware using stylistic influences and elements deemed appealing to potential consumers in the colonies.Specific to Southeast Asia, these firms began to produce rice plates which were better suited for the region's cuisine which mainly consisted of rice and accompanying dishes. Compared to conventional dinner plates, these rice plates have greater concave depth, which meant they are better able to contain rice and dishes within them. These firms also began to incorporate motifs seen as "local" to the region, drawn from popular floral patterns and fruit depictions as depicted through natural history prints and photographs. While Scottish transferware such as those by J. & M.P. Bells and Co. would be highly popular and widely available amongst Southeast Asian consumers, they also faced competition from other European transferware producers. This plate was produced by a Dutch maker, Petrus Regout. In 1836, Regout built a steam-powered pottery that eventually competed both in terms of output and quality with English and Scottish ceramic wares. From 1880, Regout's export wares gained huge popularity in Asia, Africa and the Middle East. The "Singapore" pattern is a composite pattern helmed by a stylized interpretation of a popular floral batik motif paired with a butterfly. This is paired with a rim pattern with vignettes featuring local flora such as the pitcher plant.
