Plate, "Siam" pattern

"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 their "Siam” pattern. The composition encompasses Buddhist temples and monumental buildings, with an emphasis on Thai temple art and architecture. The border has floral decoration and repeated motifs of the lingzhi fungus design. 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.