Dessert / Salad Plate: Royal China, Currier & Ives, Birthplace of Washington, Pink & White, Vintage USA

There's something deeply American about a Currier & Ives plate — the pastoral vignettes, the transferware palette, the sense that dinner could be a small act of history appreciation.

This pink and white example from Royal China features The Birth-Place of Washington — a cottage, a garden, the Potomac visible in the distance — framed by the pattern's classic swirled border. Backstamped Currier & Ives, "The Birth-Place of Washington," underglaze print by Royal. Hand washing recommended to preserve the print.

A natural for Americana collectors, a farmhouse table, or anyone completing a Currier & Ives set. Equally at home on a plate rack. Five available, all in excellent condition.

• Maker: Royal China Co.
• Pattern: Currier & Ives — The Birth-Place of Washington
• Material: Ceramic
• Dimensions: Approx. 7.25 inches diameter
• Origin: Sebring, Ohio, USA
• Era: Vintage circa 1967
• Condition: Excellent — no cracks or chips

Founded in 1934 in Sebring, Ohio, by Beatrice L. Miller, William H. Habenstreit, and John Bert Briggs, Royal China Co. overcame massive odds to become a pottery powerhouse. Denied a bank loan because she was a woman, Miss Miller persisted, and workers initially agreed to work without pay until the business took off.  By the 1940s, they were the world's largest manufacturer of Willow Ware. They followed that success with their iconic "Currier & Ives" line in 1950. At its peak in 1965, Royal was the largest pottery company in the U.S., pulling in $6 million in sales. After several ownership changes and rebuilding from a major fire, operations finally ended in 1986.