For an overview of maritime plaques, click on the Maritime heading above.  Click on images to enlarge.

The Crimean War drove a boom in pottery production.  Plaques on the wall and figures on the mantlepiece, helped the still largely illiterate populous to make sense of events many miles away.  Crimean War-related plaques were made post 1855.  The transfers were used over a long period, the ships appearing on orange wares perhaps until the turn of the 20th century.
 

The top row all have the impressed mark 'Dixon Co'. Top left, French and English sailors carrying flags. Top centre, a plaque with Emperor Napoleon and Queen Victoria, surmounted by a lion and a unicorn.  Top right, a variation of the first transfer but with two soldiers. Bottom row, two plaques with an eagle and a lion, and French and British flags, around the title 'CRIMEA'. The text on the plaques reads: 'MAY THEY EVER BE UNITED.', 'CRIMEA', 'VIVE L'EMPEREUR' and 'GOD SAVE THE QUEEN.' The top row have the impressed mark 'Dixon Co'. The plaques on the bottom row are unmarked, but the left is attributed to Moore & Co and the right to Scott of Southwick.

The two plaques above, although unmarked, are attributed to Adams Pottery, Staffordshire.  They are copies/imitations of Sunderland plaques, and were likely made c 1900–1930.

Underneath the picture is the subtitle 'FORAGING PARTY IN THE CRIMEA'. These plaques have been recorded with the C T Maling impress.

The unmarked jug above has flower decoration typical of Scott of Southwick. It shows another version of the sailor's farewell and return.  The 'return' appears on rectangular plaques with straight edges (see last image in the section below).  The 'farewell' is yet to be recorded on a plaque.

THE SAILOR'S RETURN
Now safe returned from dangers past
With joy I hail the shore.
And fear no more the tempests blast
Nor Oceans angry roar.

Further examples of the Mariner's Compass can be found on the Emblems and armorials sub page.

Henderson & Carlisle write in their book on marine antiques: 'The wording on the plaque was of critical importance to the survivability of the ship and those aboard her. It was imperative to know the depth of water in the well of the ship to determine if pumping was necessary.  Here was a token of life at sea that could be an everyday reminder at home of the perils of the sea.'  The top left photo shows a very rare yellow and blue bordered version, and although unmarked, is probably from the Garrison Pottery (Dixon and partners). The top right plaque and the plaques on the second row have the impressed 'Dixon Co' mark. The bottom two plaques are attributed to Scott of Southwick. Even the rectangular versions, which are more common, command high prices because of the popularity of the verse among collectors.