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Out of context: Reply #76882
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Now this is a VERY old plate, I know this for a few reasons. It used to hang in my house when I was growing up, I think that once again, it came into my dad's shop in the early 70's and mum liked it so put it on the kitchen wall. Mum used to go on about how it was an early Willow pattern plate as it had just ONE man on the bridge - most you see now will have 3 men, and although it has a couple of cracks it has always been like this, but is braced on the back and sides.
I did a bit of research and it turns out to be a pre-Willow pattern dating from the mid 1700's! and it was exported to UK from China where a story was built around the idea of the willow plate, the people on the bridge and other additives were given a twist by manufacturers like Spode and Wedgwood to create a story that became a phenomenon as it went on to become the worlds most famous and recognisable ceramic design. If anyone knows more about this story I'd be interested, for now it's now hanging in my kitchen.
