I found this bowl among boxes of items from a friend's great grandmother. I have researched, but have came up empty. The bowl appears to be transferware or flow blue. The color looks like cobalt, with some gilding on flowers and trim of the bowl. The bowl measures about 16 1/4" wide, and about 51" around, it also is about 5" deep. It doesn't have any maker marks that I can find, but does have 4 gold dots shown in picture. The bowl also has 3 stilt marks on inside and bottom of bowl. The bowl looks to be completely glazed with some crazing as you can see in pictures. Would love any information you could share. Thank you
Cindy, As to the purpose of the bowl, it is a wash basin from a wash set. It would have had a large pitcher along with it. It is flow blue. As to the potter, we may never know unless someone has another piece of that pattern with a mark on it. For all the known patterns there are at least as many unknown either not marked or they have just a number on them. I wish I had more info for you.
Thank you Kim, I really appreciate your answer. I had been coming up empty handed everywhere I reached for information. I guess if it doesn't have it's pitcher it's probably not worth anything.
Hi Cindy, while we don't give values on this website (we aren't appraisers) this bowl is beautiful and can be used in so many ways. I have seen them used as centerpieces on a dining table, filled with ornaments at Christmas-time, used to hold ice for wine bottles or soda at parties. I use one to hold rolled-up hand towels in our bathroom and there are so many more ways to use basins. If you look on eBay under flow blue wash basins, you might see what items like yours have sold for, to give you a better idea of value. If you decide to sell it (I hope not!), someone that has the water pitcher may see it and need the basin to complete the set. Or you could list it in a consignment shop.