"Rice plate" is the name ceramics collectors use for large, shallow bowls like this, which became popular in Southeast Asia. They were well-suited to the region's cuisine. This plate made in England by Bell Pottery is printed with the Kee Lin Hong pattern, a registered design of 1889 (No. 139291). The pattern features a pair of fabulous creatures – the qilin and phoenix. Such patterns generated excitement seldom experienced in the world of industrial ceramics, and this one proved to be the most successful pattern that Bell Pottery exported to Southeast Asia. Transferware ceramics are decorated by a process in which a design is printed onto tissue paper, then transferred directly to the piece of pottery before firing, allowing for complicated designs to be produced quickly and without the need for skilled painters.
