Pair of antique early Victorian brown Platters or Meat Dishes by RC & Co

A pair of unusual and rare brown transferware design ironstone platters or meat dishes, in the ‘Florence’ design. This shows a garden setting decorated with floral motifs, fountains, statutes adorned with acanthus leaves and with a pagoda inspired building in the distance. To the right of the foreground are a young man and woman, drawn with great character - the woman holding her umbrella and the man pointing at the garden , together they are deep in conversation. The plates are initialled verso ‘Florence, R.C.& Co., V.P’.

History ~
V P is the impress mark of Verreville Pottery. The site was started in 1771 on the north bank of the River Clyde, in the village of Finnieston, near Glasgow, originally as a glass works.

R.C & Co was the mark for Robert Cochran & Co and the plates can be dated to between 1860 – 1880.

From 1845 having started as a part-owner, Robert Cochran and his two subsequent generations ran the pottery, until its closure in 1918.

Condition ~
Fair antique condition – One or two marks from the original firing. Both plates are crazed, one plate with significant lines on its front, as seen in the images. The plates are not cracked or chipped.