Posted By: Bill H
Posted Date: Jul 16, 2011 (02:38 AM)
Your dishes are decorated in the 'rose medallion' motif. Wares in the essential pattern were in production by the 1850's, and at the time simply were called 'highly decorated porcelain' by their purchasers, primarily in the Americas and Europe.
Your set can be dated to circa 1900 by its less brilliant enamels and gilding, as compared to what is seen on earlier editions. They also bear the 'CHINA' mark, which was required by the US McKinley Tariff Act of October 1890, which became effective in March of 1891, requiring all imports into the USA be labeled with their point of origin.
Herewith is a photo of an early rose medallion dish for comparison with yours. This one is unmarked, as was the case with virtually all dishes in this pattern before the McKinley Tariff Act came along. This shaped dish is in the earliest rose medallion variant, having reserves in the form of a melon slice, with stem and flowers attached. One of your pictures shows a bowl with a combination of these melon reserves and the standard ones bordered by a scroll motive.
If you'd like an idea of current values, eBay usually has a selection up for auction in this pattern, as do online malls such as trocadero.com and rubylane.com.
Best regards,
Bill H.
