Maker and age: No maker's mark appears on this lovely plate. The magenta mark of Phillips & Co. is on the reverse. Phillips was a major London manufacturer, importer and retailer of fine china and glasswares under various names from 1760 until it closed in 1929.

The mark on this plate was in use from 1897 to 1906, when the store - then called Phillips & Co. - was located on Mount Street in London's Grosvenor Square.

The company's advertisements often focused on Minton, Worcester and Wedgwood china wares. Examples with a Phillips mark have also been found with Cauldon and Royal Crown Derby backstamps. It is likely - but not confirmed - that this plate was made by one of those companies, or perhaps by Phillips itself.

Design: The beautiful pattern features rings of delicate pink flowers interspersed with green and gold leaves. The pattern number 4809 is handwritten on the reverse.

Condition: There is no pretending that this plate is in good condition. There are no chips or nicks but many utensil marks. As the photos illustrate, it was broken at some point in its long history and stapled back together with large rivets, a common practice in the years before fine china could easily be replaced. As far back as the sixth century BC, riveting reflected the high value associated with china.

The damage is shown in the photos with the penny and is visible in the other photos. Yet despite it, this rare plate remains very beautiful.

Please check all the photos very carefully - they are an important part of the description.