Antique Hand Painted Paragon China Plate Windermere Char Fish R.J Keeling c 1905

A lovely quality, hand painted wall or cabinet plate by Star China Co ( Paragon China) and dating from between 1904 and 1912. They operated from the Atlas Works, Longton, Staffordshire Potteries, England from 1900 until 1919 when they subsequently became the Paragon China Company Limited.

This rare and unusual Edwardian period plate features a beautifully detailed, hand painted aquatic scene of two Windermere Char fish surrounded by rocks, water plants and reeds around the scalloped and gilded rim. The palette of colours has been well chosen to give a serene, underwater effect and the two fish are well detailed and realistic. The plate is signed R.J. Keeling and there is the painted title on the back Windermere Charr ( their spelling error!) and the number 2863.

Windermere Char (Calvinus alpinus)  is part of the trout family and closely related to the Arctic Char and is one of the few fish that can survive in the deep, cold inland lakes of the UK. Antique utilitarian char dishes featuring prints of this renowned Lake District fish are highly collectable and command high prices. 

This very decorative plate has a diameter of 8 1/2 inches and is in good condition with just a small repaired chip to the gilded rim and a few little scratches to the surface.  It weighs 335g unpacked. 

This item would appeal to collectors of cabinet plates, Paragon china, Star China Co, people with a link to Windermere and also to anglers.