126. CHILDREN'S PLATE

This antique ironstone baby plate made by HoldFast, a popular maker of plates and other houseware based in East Liverpool. I found this in Bangkal, and it was obvious the dealer recognized it as an antique, as it was hanging on a wall as a decorative plate. The central illustration shows a little boy and girl on a see-saw, who reminded me briefly of the Campbell Kids. HoldFast made many children's dishes, bowls and alphabet plates which featured letters of the alphabet written on the rim of the plate. HoldFast plates and dishes are noted for their durability and for their charming designs which often feature characters from Nursery Rhymes like "Bye, Baby Bunting" and "Pussy Cat, Where Have You Been?". This example is heavy and deep, and dates back from the early 20th century or even earlier. The best thing about it is, it still is serviceable, so now I use it as my breakfast plate!