Johnson Brothers Square Salad Plate - Old Britain Castles Pink Collection featuring Belvoir Castle

Mid 20th Century/England

The 'Old Britain Castles' series by Johnson Brothers is one of the most enduring and recognizable patterns in mid-century transferware history. Introduced in the mid-20th century, the collection celebrated various historic English and Welsh castles, each accompanied by a specific year derived from historical engravings and romanticized depictions.

Johnson Brothers, founded in Staffordshire, England in 1883, utilized advanced transfer printing techniques to reproduce detailed copperplate engravings onto earthenware blanks. The pink, or red, colorway was especially popular for creating a warm, pastoral aesthetic that suited traditional dining rooms across the United Kingdom and North America.