Tacoma, Washington, Souvenir Plate By Royal Staffordshire Of England

PACIFIC NORTHWEST. 
Home Decor / Kitchen Decor, Decorative Plate, Souvenir, c. 1959. 

The City Of Tacoma Seal sits at the top of this china plate, accompanied by the Washington flag that has the state seal and a portrait of George Washington. A feature prominent in both these circular illustrations is the mountainous terrain defining the area. The highest peak in the state, and indeed the whole Pacific Northwest region, is Mount Rainier, part of the Cascade Range. Tacoma, WA, is only about 40 miles from Rainier, and the famously magnificent view it enjoys is captured here in an historical context by the central image on this plate. Fort Nisqually Living History Museum shows what life was like on Puget Sound in the middle 1850s. Established by the Works Progress Administration (WPA) in 1933, the museum recreates an outpost which was originally located in DuPont, WA. A more modern vessel cruises the waters off Point Defiance Park, where the Fort was rebuilt. Mt. Rainier, whose name in the indigenous language was ‘Tacoma’, provides a towering backdrop. The first peoples of the area were the Puyallup, and to them the 14,410 ft mountain was “mother of the waters” - the meaning of Tacoma. The city assumed the name in the latter part of the 1860s, after a stint as Commencement City. In 1875 it was officially incorporated. A timeline on the back of this decorative piece runs from 1868 to 1959, and many of the things it conveys are depicted on the rim around the plate. Made expressly for Rhodes, a department store which operated for 63 years in Tacoma until its 1969 buy-out, this china collectible has an impressive provenance. Royal Staffordshire Pottery originates from the UK, and pieces that commemorate American topics, events, or places will often fetch a higher price. As for us, we were just happy to find a cool Pacific Northwest addition for The Regionals product line and want to pass that feeling along. [Condition: Used Very Good. No chips or cracks. Transferware well printed on front with only a little fading on back.] 

Condition: Used Very Good. 
Local / Regional Areas. 
Dimensions: 10” diameter / 1.25 lb