Dinner Plates, Independence, Blue Tulip, Ironstone, Set of 4, Vintage

• Pattern: Blue Tulip -  (Discontinued)
• Made in: Japan 
• Vintage: 1968 - 1976
• Details:  A really beautiful set of blue and white ironstone dinner plates.  This pattern is called Blue Tulip, the plates have an octagonal shape with a large tulip in the center surrounded by other smaller flowers and leaves, all in a deep navy blue.  The verge is not smooth, it has an embossed design.  There's also a laurel-leaves design all around the border,  just beautiful!  These are part of an entire dinnerware set from Independence.  The plates are stamped on the back: "1776 Independence, Ironstone by INTERPACE, Oven Safe, Color Fast NKT Japan". Being ironstone, these plates will be very heavy.  These are great plates for matching with other blue and white tableware.   If this is your pattern, we hope these will be a great addition to your collection.  We also carry 5 Fruit/Dessert Bowls in this pattern, if you're interested in both the bowls and dinner plates, please Contact Us for a 10% discount.
• Materials: Ironstone
• Dimensions:  10.75 inches Wide
• Condition:  Vintage - Used.  Good Condition. One plate has a small chip on the border (underside) and another has crazing and some faint brown spots.  We have photographed all 4 plates individually for you.  Please review all pictures and make sure you love this item before purchasing, we can't accept returns.  Please remember these are VINTAGE and ANTIQUE items, they are NOT new, every effort has been made to show any scratches, wear  and imperfections. 

Our research has lead us to the following conclusion, however, if someone has different information, we would love to learn more.  Independence Ironstone was originally made by Castleton China. In August 1951, Shenango Pottery Company purchased the outstanding stock of Castleton.  In 1962 Franciscan, (originally made by Gladding McBean), became part of the ceramic house called International Pipe and Ceramics (INTERPACE).  In 1968 Interpace Corporation bought Shenango Ceramics and her wholly-owned subsidiaries, which included the Independence line.  Independence started to be shown and marketed in some of the same places as Franciscan.  Under Interpace's leadership, the staff at the Franciscan Division added new shapes to Independence.  Under INTERPACE, the Independence Ironstone line was manufactured in Japan, by either NKT (a ceramics company in Japan and the actual initials on the back of these plates), or by NIKKO (who for years after, sold this exact shape/style of plates, but not the same pattern).   The Independence line last appeared as a part of Franciscan catalog in 1976.