Antique Ridgways Stoneware Oval Dish Coaching Days and Coaching Ways

A gorgeous Ridgways stoneware oval dish from the Coaching Days and Coaching Ways series, finished in that rich amber treacle glaze with a detailed black transfer scene at the centre. It is the kind of piece that instantly adds warmth to a kitchen shelf or dresser, and it is just as useful as it is decorative.

A lovely educational detail for collectors: Ridgways chose the scenes from the 1888 book Coaching Days and Coaching Ways by W Outram Tristram, with illustrations by Hugh Thomson and Herbert Railton, and reference sources date the pottery series to the 1890s through to the 1920s, often noting Macmillan and Co Ltd as the publisher.

It measures 23 cm long, 12 cm wide, and 6 cm high, making it ideal for olives, nuts, wrapped sweets, or as a catch all by the sink for rings and matches. It also looks brilliant styled under a small candle or paired with brass and blue and white ceramics for that collected, layered feel.

As you would expect with antique stoneware, there may be gentle age related wear and light crazing to the glaze, which suits the character and period of the piece.