Sanders Mfg. Co. Nashville, Tenn. Last Supper Plate with Gold Floral Border and Fluted Scalloped Rim

The Sanders Mfg. Co. Last Supper plate is a round white decorative plate with a scalloped, fluted rim, the edge rippled into soft radial ribs like a pie crust. Its body is white, a glossy bright white glaze. In the center is a round color transfer print of Leonardo da Vinci's The Last Supper, and the wide rim is circled by a border of gold, a metallic yellow gold, flowers and leaves.

Center: the picture shows Jesus seated at the middle of a long table covered with a white cloth, with the twelve apostles in groups of three on either side, gesturing toward him. Behind them is a room with a coffered wood ceiling, dark tapestry panels on the side walls and three windows with a pediment over the middle one, looking out to a pale landscape. The robes are red, blue, green, gold and pink; the floor is a tan tiled perspective grid. Made of fine visible dots (stipple printing), the print fades out at its round edge with no frame line. Border: a continuous vine of gold flowers with pointed petals, serrated leaves, fern-like sprigs and small teardrop buds runs all the way around the rim, outlined in a darker line. No title text appears on the front.

Back: the underside is glazed white with a raised foot ring and fine concentric throwing rings. Centered on the base is a round black stamp. Around the top of the circle, in rough-edged, hand-drawn-looking block capitals, it reads SANDERS · MFG · CO. Inside, a half-circle frames · U·S·A · between two small stars, a horizontal band across the middle reads NASHVILLE in larger capitals, and the bottom reads · TENN · between small dots. This plate has no First Edition, title or 23K gold wording on the back, which some other Sanders Last Supper plates carry.

On this copy: the gold border is heavily worn, with much of the gold rubbed away to leave only the darker outline in places (photo 4). The glaze shows overall fine crazing, most visible over the center print. At about the 4 o'clock position on the front, the rim has a chip in the glaze. Light dirt and wear show on the back. Size was not measured; sellers list these plates at about 10 inches.

• Type: Decorative wall or display plate, religious subject
• Shape: Round with a scalloped, fluted (pie crust) rim
• Body: White glazed earthenware
• Center: Color stipple transfer of Leonardo da Vinci's The Last Supper, no title text
• Border: Gold, a metallic yellow gold, floral vine with flowers, serrated leaves, sprigs and teardrop buds
• Colors: White, a bright glossy white; gold; red, blue, green and pink robes; tan floor
• Backstamp: Round black stamp: SANDERS MFG CO / U.S.A. / NASHVILLE / TENN, centered on the base
• Back details: Raised foot ring with fine concentric rings
• Typical size: About 10 inches (per seller listings)
• This copy: Gold heavily worn to the outline, overall crazing, rim chip at about 4 o'clock; not measured