Here's an antique ex large English majolica cheese plate with a dome with a border that resembles a wooden plank fence with pretty pink Azaleas 🌸 or maybe wild roses and green leaves. It is in colors of brown, green and Pink. Made by George Jones, one of the most prolific of majolica manufactures and one of the most highly regarded and collected today.

In 1864, Jones purchased parcels of land from Colin Minton Campbell of the Minton factory for construction of the Trent Potteries, which was completed in late 1865. It was in this new and efficient pottery works that George Jones commenced production of majolica in 1866. By 1873 Jones eldest two sons, Frank Ralph and George Henry Jones had become familiar with the business and joined their father in partnership. The firm was retitled George Jones & Sons and the name “Crescent” was registered as the trademark of the new company. At the time, the firm employed 590 skilled workers. Following George Jones’ death in 1893, the family firm saw continued success until the early twentieth century. The company was sold to managing director Walter Bakewell in 1929 and by 1951 the trade name George Jones & Sons was no longer used. The Crescent works was demolished in 1959 after nearly a century of ceramic production.

George Jones won a medal at the Paris Exhibition in 1867 and received acclaim at exhibitions in London (1871), Vienna (1873) and Sydney (1876).

The firm advertised majolica in the Pottery Gazette from 1881 to 1886. Some of our knowledge of George Jones & Sons majolica designs comes from annotated pattern books which have survived and now reside in the Wedgwood Museum. Fortunately, much of the firm’s majolica production was also marked and the distinctive mottled brown and green undersurface glazing of Jones majolica allows attribution of other unmarked piece.

Condition: There are no chips or cracks but some small paint flakes on the plate which I've photographed. It’s a beautiful piece!!!

Measures: appx 12 1/4”

Clearly marked with the GJ impressed stamp as well as an impressed number/letter combination, registration mark and is hand numbered.

Book reference ,'George Jones Ceramics 1861-1951' by Robert Cluett

Shown in last pics with a clear glass dome to serve cake or cookies! ( clear glass dome is not included)

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Featured on Etsy November 2012:

http://www.etsy.com/blog/en/2012/collecting-english-transferware-one-womans-story/

Majolica

c. 1870 George Jones English Majolica Fence Rail Cake Plate Faux Bois & Wild Roses

$799.99

English Majolica Cheese Dome Bell Faux Bois & Pink Azaleas Top

$449.99