"Rice plate" is the name ceramics collectors use for large, shallow bowls like this, which became popular in Southeast Asia. They were well-suited to the region's cuisine. This plate made in England by Bell Pottery bears their “Peacock and Lilies” pattern. The Scottish artists of the company probably made direct studies of exotic plants in botanical gardens for patterns to create patterns like this. It is a registered Bell Pottery design of 1887 (No. 83486).Transferware ceramics are decorated by a process in which a design is printed onto tissue paper, then transferred directly to the piece of pottery before firing, allowing for complicated designs to be produced quickly and without the need for skilled painters.
