A Pair of Signed Hand Painted Bishop & Stonier Plates

An interesting pair of hand decorated plates signed B. Kent.

Painted with landscape scenes, one of water with a boat a castle turret and in the distance mountains and the other with a mill pond a tree and a rural cottage.

The style of decoration is very like water colour with transparent layers of enamels built up. 

The plates themselves have a mark for Bishop and Stonier (Bisto) and we can date them to a period after 1891 and before 1936.

The paintings are a little unusual in that the sky is painted finely and the scenes including the sky extend all the way to the edge of the painted area rather than stopping a little short which is more common on earlier plates. 

I think this concept of filling up the entire space would have been quite modern at the time these were made and designed to give a feeling of looking though a window onto the scenes.

The pink carvetto is very attractive and is enhanced by some gilding.

These are clearly a one off pair made for display and so I have kept them together as a pair.



Makers marks:
Printed mark for Bishop and Stonier, a caduceus with BISTO written under it.  This was one of their earlier marks, so we might date these to around 1900 or early 20th century.  A hand written signature in red enamel B. Kent

Dimensions:
22.5 cm diameter of one plate to the rim

Weight:
844 grams weight of the combined pair

Age:
100 years

Condition:
Good antique condition.  Some light scratching to the surfaces.  The plate with the tree in the middle, there is a scratch on the tree extending to the sky.  Both display very well.  No chips cracks or restoration

Maker:
Bishop and Stonier, hand decorated by B. Kent.