4 Grape Plates Metlox

FOUR METLOX POPPYTRAIL SCULPTURED GRAPE PLATES Four vintage California earthenware plates in the Sculptured Grape pattern by Metlox Poppytrail. Each has a scalloped, gently ruffled edge and a wide embossed border of blue grape clusters, green and gray-green grape leaves, small yellow-gold blossom sprigs, and curling gold-brown tendrils, hand-painted over the raised relief on a warm off-white ground, with a soft olive-brown brushed line following the rim. The centers are plain, letting the raised border frame the well. This is the same pattern as the cup and saucer sets, bread and butter plates, salad plates, shakers, and the creamer and sugar offered separately in this sale, so bidders assembling a service should watch those lots as well. All four plates show overall fine crazing in the glaze along with soft gray utensil marks and general use wear in the centers, and the brushed rim line is rubbed thin in places. Practical for salad, dessert, or luncheon service, and equally suited to a plate rack or hutch display. Sold as a lot of four plates. Description Four matching round plates with scalloped edges and a raised grape-and-leaf border in relief. Glazed earthenware, hand-painted over the embossed decoration; plain white glazed undersides with a low foot ring. Diameter measures in the range of approximately 7 to 7-1/2 inches per the tape-measure photograph. The tape hook is resting on the table above the plate rather than hooked on the plate edge, so this is a close estimate only and bidders should verify all dimensions from the photographs. Undersides carry a clear circular printed backstamp reading "POPPYTRAIL BY METLOX - MADE IN CALIFORNIA", with a small faint gray mark alongside on at least one plate that is too indistinct to read, so no meaning is claimed for it. Attribution note Metlox Pottery operated in Manhattan Beach, California, founded in 1927 by T. C. Prouty and his son Willis Prouty, first producing outdoor ceramic signs and then dinnerware under the Poppytrail name from the early 1930s until the plant closed in 1989. Replacements, Ltd. catalogs this pattern as Sculptured Grape by Metlox in the Poppytrail-Vernon line, discontinued, with production running roughly from 1963 to 1986, and describes it as raised blue grapes with green leaves and vines on a white ground. Related colorways exist, including an all-white version and a pink grape version, so buyers matching an existing service should compare colors closely against the photographs. Identification and dating here are offered as the consignor's photo-based opinion and are not guaranteed. Bid on the item as pictured. Condition Used vintage condition, sold as-is. All four plates show overall fine crazing in the glaze, most visible across the plain centers. Gray utensil scratching and general use wear are present in the wells. The olive-brown brushed rim line is rubbed and thinned along portions of the scalloped edges, with bare glaze showing through in places. Scattered faint tan and amber specks appear near the rims and on the undersides. No cracks, chips, or repairs are apparent in the photographs, but the plates have not been examined under magnification and no such guarantee is made. Photos are part of the description. Notes for bidders Glazed earthenware is not dishwasher or microwave recommended; hand wash gently in warm water and dry promptly. Do not soak crazed pieces, as moisture can enter the glaze lines and stain the body. Use felt or paper separators when stacking so the raised decoration is not abraded. Only the piece(s) pictured are included in this lot. Terms Sold as-is, where-is, with no warranty expressed or implied. All sales final. Please ask any questions before bidding. Buyer is responsible for pickup or shipping arrangements per auction terms.