Can anyone tell me why this dish from 1882 is so small? 2.5''x2.5'' what is it?

[joemg311]

So I have came across this square dish and would like to know if anyone could tell me what its purpose might be. There is no makers mark but the marking on the back dates it to 1882. There are plates and things with the same daffodil pattern from Staffordshire BY W.H.GRINDLEY CO.  My question is is why the heck is this thing so small. Is it for kids? Is it a sample? is it to put a condiment on? Why is there no makers mark? 

[KC]

Hi!  Would like to help you out...but need a picture of the dish and the dimensions!  Got my curiosity up! 

In the Victorian era they had a dish and a silver implement for just about anything.  The "proper" way was to have just for example: a main butter dish with a master butter serving knife PLUS individual butter pat dishes with individual butter knives.

[joemg311]

lol I appear to have been doing a poor job at multitasking at work today sorry. I took pictures but forgot to upload them. It is 2 1/2 by 2 1/2 inches and little over half an inch thick. Butter pat dish perhaps?

[joemg311]

After checking around... you didn't even need the pictures  it has got to be a butter pat. Too small or insignificant for them to put a makers mark on? It is definitally Grindley's Daffodil pattern in brown.

[mart]

And you checked the registration mark for date ?? That would be when the pattern was registered !!   I would bet its a butter pat !! Just look up the pattern for butter pats and see if it comes up !!

[joemg311]

Yup the registration mark is from 1882 so does that mean the piece can be newer? Found the pattern on replacements.com and it says the pattern is Circa: 1872 - so all we can decipher is this is 1882 at the oldest without a makers mark to help date it? 

[mart]

Yes,, correct !!  Can be later than that depending on how long that pattern was in production!!

[joemg311]

Thanks! If I keep hanging out around here I may be as smart as all of you regulars.  If anyone has in questions about things from the 90s or later I have you totally covered. 

[KC]

Wow...helped with the answer without a picture or dimensions!     Glad that helped!

Butter pat dishes are very collectible. 

I have been researching collecting Victorian era serving ware for years - just because it intrigued me that they had a serving piece for almost everything!  My kids don't care to inherit them...so one day I will donate them to a museum.

[mart]

Thanks! If I keep hanging out around here I may be as smart as all of you regulars.  If anyone has in questions about things from the 90s or later I have you totally covered. 

LOL !! I think I skipped the 90`s !!  Just joking !!  You never know when we may need your help for that decade !!  Lord knows I don`t know much about it,,except that I lived through it !!