Thank you for your inquiry about this lovely pattern. I did some research and was able to find some information about the pattern and about the makers:
The “Y & M” printed mark for Yates & May is listed as Mark B2571 on p. 387 of The Encyclopedia of Marks on American, English, and European Earthenware, Ironstone and Stoneware 1780-1980 by Arnold A. Kowalsky and Dorothy E. Kowalsky. There it states that this mark was used by the firm which operated on Broad Street, (Shelton) Hanley, Staffordshire, c.1835-1843. Formerly, John Yates and John and William Yates (1770-1835). For further reading this reference recommends consulting:
Staffordshire Blue, W. L. Little, p. 109
British Porcelain, An Illustrated Guide, Geoffrey A. Godden, p. 808-809
Staffordshire Porcelain, Geoffrey A. Godden (Editor and Contributor), Ch. 20, p. 198-305.
On p. 468 of the Kowalsky reference, included in a list of “Patterns by Potters” is the firm of “Yates and May” noting that it produced “Blue and White Transferware, Single Patterns” in the Floral Category, with a sole listing for the pattern “Snowdrop.”
On p. 47 of Petra Williams and Marguerite Weber’s Staffordshire II Romantic Transfer Patterns,
the pattern is pictured on a footed, double-handled urn, with the same printed mark that you provided.
On p. 256 of Staffordshire Potters 1781-1900, by R. K. Henrywood, the firm of Yates and May is listed as appearing in the 1841 edition of "Pigot and Co.’s National and Commercial Directory and Topography". On p. 255 and 256, additional iterations of the Yates firm are listed as they appeared in various commercial directories.
I hope this information is helpful and will provide you with some avenues for further research. As the pattern is not yet included in the TCC Database of Patterns and Sources, I would like to add it to our records. May we have your permission to use the images you sent with this inquiry? If you are agreeable to this request, I would appreciate it if you could also provide the dimensions of the wares.
Thank you,
Leslie Bouterie
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