Johnson Brothers “Old Britain Castles” Stew Bowls | Set of 4

A charming set of four vintage Johnson Brothers “Old Britain Castles” ironstone plates, made in England and decorated in the pattern’s distinctive pink-red transferware palette. Each plate features a picturesque British landscape at its centre, with a historic castle or country estate overlooking a river, framed by an elaborate border of floral bouquets, scrolling foliage and Rococo-inspired ornament.

The Old Britain Castles pattern is one of Johnson Brothers’ best-known designs, first introduced in 1930. Rather than depicting a single scene, the pattern celebrates a collection of British castles and historic landscapes, making the pieces particularly appealing to collectors of English transferware and British ceramics.

The decoration is transfer printed—an early ceramic decorating technique in which an engraved design is transferred onto the ceramic surface before firing. This allowed highly detailed architectural and landscape scenes to be reproduced with remarkable consistency, while the restrained monochrome palette gives these plates their wonderfully nostalgic character. The reverse carries the Johnson Bros England / Old Britain Castles / Ironstone backstamp, visible in the photographs.

At 9 inches, these work beautifully as luncheon or dessert plates, but would also make a lovely decorative grouping displayed together on a wall or shelf. A particularly nice set for collectors of Johnson Brothers, English ironstone and traditional British transferware.

Details

• Maker: Johnson Brothers
• Pattern: Old Britain Castles
• Origin: England
• Material: Ironstone
• Decoration: Pink/red transferware
• Quantity: Set of 3
• Diameter: 9" each
• Era: Vintage
• Condition: Vintage condition with signs of age and use; please refer to photographs for the condition of each plate.