Posted 3 years ago
Ahania
(1 item)
Greetings! We picked this up at an estate sale. I started researching it and found the pattern quickly. However, I am really puzzled: not only have I been unable to find the shape (I'm thinking it's in the butter dish category - it's only 4" x 4"), but also the mark doesn't match up with the other items in the pattern (it's usually the mailbox). Any info. on this curiosity? Thanks in advance!
Hi, Ahania. :-)
Interesting. I had to look up the pattern to see what you meant about the mailbox:
https://www.replacements.com/china-johnson-brothers-friendly-village-the-made-in-england-backstamp/c/45611
https://www.replacements.com/china-johnson-brothers-friendly-village-the-christmas/c/137136
So overall, The Friendly Village pattern (1953-2003) and its variation the The Friendly Village Christmas (1994 - 2003) are relatively modern Johnson Bros. patterns.
There was also a 50th anniversary edition of The Friendly Village with the mailbox back stamp done in gold:
https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/johnson-brothers-friendly-village-1727392157
However, nowhere did I find a twin of your plate. There are other square plates in The Friendly Village pattern, but they are not the same shape overall. Yours also has no border in terms of the decoration on the plate.
Yours is a probably what would be called a coupe shape. Neither is there a border to the decoration.
It actually reminds me of similarly shaped plates from other makers that were designed not so much to be used for dining, but to be displayed using a plate hanger.
Here is the closest I was able to find. They're not square, but they're coupe shape, no borders on the decoration, and the ordinary Johnson Bros. back stamp, and about 4 inches in diameter. They're described as coasters:
*snip*
Johnson Brothers Coasters Merry Christmas and Friendly Village Old Mill Set of 2
Vintage Johnson Brothers Coasters. This is a mismatched set of vintage porcelain coasters made by the Johnson Brothers in England. One coaster is called Merry Christmas and features a warm fire and Christmas tree. The other one features the Old Mill from the Friendly Village Series. Each coaster is approx. 4".
*snip*
https://www.etagerellc.com/store/p2316/Johnson_Brothers_Coasters_Merry_Christmas_and_Friendly_Village_Old_Mill_Set_of_2_Vintage_Porcelain.html
Thanks, Keramikos! That is even closer than I got! I had seen the square salad plates but, as you mentioned, they had the border. Your reference had me searching for more coasters/butter pat plates, and now I see they also do not have the mailbox mark. So things are making more sense! Even found one other square dish like mine. Strange to me there's not more! I just thought it was super-cute. Again, appreciate you info.!
Ahania, You're welcome. :-)
So you found another small square dish like yours in another decor, huh? Cool. Would you mind linking it?
Given the size, I suppose they could be butter pat or perhaps tidbit dishes. The idea of them being coasters doesn't seem quite right, unless the center portion is nice and flat.
Yes, I agree - I don't think it's flat enough for a coaster. Here's the other one I found. No additional information and the mark is green vs. black, which I assume could denote an era? location? just the ink they had on hand? https://www.mercari.com/us/item/m54798993330/