To own a piece of Mellor, Venables & Co is to own a piece of early Victorian England.
Maker: Mellor, Venables & Co, Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent, England (1834–1851)
Pattern: Beauties of China (flow black transferware)
Era: 1840s
Materials: Ironstone
Dimensions: 15" long × 11.75" wide
Marks: Incised "Ironstone" mark
Note: Plate hanger attached and included
Condition: Excellent antique. Crazing, discoloration, scattered glaze pops, and dark pinpoints consistent with 180+ years of age. No chips or cracks. All sales are final.
This 15" rectangular platter in the Beauties of China pattern is flow black ironstone transferware — a technique where the black transfer ink was intentionally allowed to "flow" slightly beyond the design lines during firing, creating a soft, romantic atmospheric quality distinct from the crispness of standard transfer printing. The design itself is a Chinese landscape in the Willow tradition: a pagoda, willow trees, a wooden bridge with figures crossing, mountains in the distance. The border is dense with swirls and florals.
A truly rare and significant piece for the English transferware collector, the Staffordshire enthusiast, or anyone who collects with an eye for genuine history.
The partnership was founded in 1834 in Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent, and dissolved by 1851 — everything they made was made in that narrow window.
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