This is a lovely large stoneware decorative Hebrides oval shallow serving bowl. It was made by Buchan Pottery, who were based at Portobello, near Edinburgh (now closed). It is a large dish and might be a great for lasagne or pasta bakes, or for serving vegetables up in for formal dining. Of course, it looks just lovely on display..
The pottery was established in Portobello in 1867 and ceasted production there in 1972. It then relocated to Crieff and permanently closed in 2000.
My serving dish is certainly an interesting piece of Scottish Pottery. It measures 12 inches in length, and is 7 3/4 inches wide. It has a height of 2 inches. Unpacked it is 1 kg
It is a harder to find thse large oval serving dishes (especially ones with no central divider sections). It is probably an experimental piece from the Portobello factory. it is marked on the side "Sample" as photographed.
The word sample was painted and fired onto factory samples. These would have been kept at the Buchan pottery as sample pieces to show potters and decorators what the finished product should look like. They were also used to show potential clients how certain pieces and designs would look - so that the retailers could stock similar pieces in their shops. The word was also used on more experimental pieces or designs that did not go into full production.
The traditional Hebrides pattern features a stylised abstract pattern of yellow and blue zigzag lines and stripes. It was a popular pattern in the Buchan Stoneware range with a good mid-century modern feel to the design.
My serving dish is in excellent condition. It has no chips or cracks. Nice clean colours. There is one little ripple to the glaze on the inner side, as occuring in the making - and I have priced down to take this into account.
I also have another one listed for sale with the rarer Sutherland pattern. It is the same size as this and I have included a photograph here of the two of them together.
Postage will be with Royal Mail Tracked (Small Parcel) and applied to your order at the checkout.