"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, bears the “Makassar” pattern, named after the capital of South Sulawesi, the center of trade for eastern Indonesia. A leopard dominates the center of the plate, surrounded by dragons and a peacock. The border features dragon heads alternating with small peacocks on a diaper pattern background. This pattern was registered by Bell in 1890 (No. 147736).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.
