Sunderland plaques

19th century lustre plaques are mostly associated with the potteries of Sunderland (Wearside) and Newcastle (Tyneside), in the North East of England.  However, plaques were made in Staffordshire and elsewhere too. Many are unmarked, making attribution difficult. There are several books on lustreware, but none yet specifically on plaques. This makes life both exciting and confusing for collectors. Images of plaques are hard to come by, so only after years of searching do you get an idea of what's out there. I hope this website will improve that, and encourage plaque collectors to share their knowledge and collections.

How to use the site

There are over 700 images of plaques on this website, divided into the following four categories:
 
Early plaques (pre-1845) - mostly small circular or small rectangular religious plaques made between 1817 and c1845, and grouped by pottery, e.g. Dixon, Maling
  
Religious - mostly pink-lustre plaques with religious texts and subjects, made between c1845 and 1900, and grouped by transfer, e.g. Prepare to meet thy god, John Wesley.

Maritime - ship plaques, and seafaring-related plaques, e.g. Crimean War plaques
  
Miscellaneous - plaques with other subject matter, e.g. Emblems and armorials, Portraits, Landscapes

Click on the main headings (above the line at the top of the page) for an overview of each category.  Click on the sub-headings (in drop-down menus below the line at the top of the page) to view individual plaques.

For an overview of the periods during which plaques were produced, click on the Plaque dates sub-heading at the top of this page.

The author, Stephen Smith, lives in London, and is always happy to hear from other collectors. If you have a large collection of plaques, and are based in the UK, he will photograph them for you. Free advice given regarding selling and dispersal of a collection, or to those wishing to start one. Just get in touch!

 matesoundthepump@yahoo.co.uk