Old Greenwood China Oval Plate

[Dannnoooo]

I have an old Greenwood China oval plate or relish tray. It is ornately decorated with birds flying in and out of twisted vines. The design is actually etched into the underlying clay and then glazed over. It is heavy restaurant grade vitrified china. Based on the impressed back stamp I estimate the age to be circa 1886 to early 1900's. However, I know nothing else about this interesting piece. Is there any other information available?

[Leontiev]

That's a real beauty Dannnoooo!


I posted your pics in the forum entry so others could easily see the piece and provide feedback.

[Dannnoooo]

Thank you for posting the pics. And I agree, it really is nice. It is a bit worn around the edges but the glaze is still bright and shiny for the most part.

[matthanne1]

Interesting that you describe it as an etched design- I've seen some older pieces where it seems like the glaze shrank into the design during firing.

[Dannnoooo]

Yes that is exactly what I was trying to describe. There is another photo I took at an angle with lots of glare that shows how the design is etched in or shrunk in as you describe. I am not sure what the technique or process is that created this effect. But it is a very crisp and fine effect. I was wondering if anyone with more knowledge could explain this process. Here is a link to another photograph showing this effect.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/6169829...n/photostream/

[kitschnkaboodle]

my gosh, I adore this!! Never seen this pattern before, but it's really striking. You know the more I see these early Greenwood pieces, the more highly I think of Greenwood.

[dmcgrann]

my gosh, I adore this!! Never seen this pattern before, but it's really striking. You know the more I see these early Greenwood pieces, the more highly I think of Greenwood.

I like Greenwood a lot. Funny thing is, that I've never seen a piece of Greenwood that didn't look like it was decorated in the height of 1897 style. I know that they went under in 1933, but I've got to wonder if part of that wasn't that their china was simply old-fashioned.

[apPaul]

I like Greenwood a lot. Funny thing is, that I've never seen a piece of Greenwood that didn't look like it was decorated in the height of 1897 style. I know that they went under in 1933, but I've got to wonder if part of that wasn't that their china was simply old-fashioned.

I agree with you

[jerseygirl]

I like Greenwood too. Most every piece seems to be just a bit thicker than most RW.

[denniscmcgrath]

When James Tams of Greenwood Pottery died in 1910, his will stipulated that his six sons had to continue working in the pottery in order to benefit from their father's estate. This was pursued in a somewhat desultory manner. While Greenwood China didn't finally expire until 1933, their output post-1910 was considerably diminished, as they operated just enough to maintain the illusion of being in business. I'm looking for a citation for this but it's pretty common (in Trenton) knowledge.

[denniscmcgrath]

I believe it was also Greenwood China that was referenced in a Harper's article about the Trenton china business, wherein restaurant china was described as being "thick enough to cause indigestion on its own."

[denniscmcgrath]

http://reference.insulators.info/pub.../view/?id=7267