A Set of A. G. Richardson Wilton Ware Ye Olde Chinese Willow Pattern Plates

This set of semi-porcelain earthenware plates is produced by A. G. Richardson and Co Ltd under the trade name Wilton Ware. The pieces feature the Ye Olde Chinese Willow pattern, a variation of the classic Willow design. The decoration is applied using an underglaze blue transfer-printing technique and depicts a central landscape with a large willow tree, a bridge with three figures, a pagoda, a boat, and two birds in flight. The central scene is enclosed within a patterned border, and the plates feature a scalloped rim with hand-applied gilding. The collection includes dinner plates and smaller side plates. Each piece bears an underglaze blue printed mark on the underside consisting of a crown surmounting a circle with the initials A. G. R. and Co LD and a stylized bird, along with the text Stoke on Trent, Wilton Ware, Ye Olde Chinese Willow, and Made in England. Some plates also feature small impressed marks and a gold-coloured bird-like symbol.