"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 carries their "Pekin” pattern, with Chinese-style buildings. Dominating the foreground is a building resembling the Temple of Heaven, in central Beijing. The Temple of Heaven was the place where emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties worshipped heaven and prayed for good harvests.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.
