Plate, "Batavia" 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 carries their "Batavia" pattern. Batavia (now Jakarta) was the capital of the Dutch East Indies. 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.

See related items

Plate, "Makassar" pattern

City plan of old Batavia

Plate, "Johore" pattern

Plate, "Borneo" pattern