Blue Ridge “Bittersweet” small platter

Isn’t it funny how something that feels insignificant at the time turns into a major factor throughout your life? Mine is with Blue Ridge, also known as Southern Potteries. I found a box of very pretty dishes at a neighbor’s yard sale when I was in my teens. They wanted $15 for the service for four, so bought them. I knew nothing about them, other than they were pretty. Many years later, I saw some similar looking in an antique store and realized they were old and had some value. That opened the door a crack to pique my interest, so I bought a book that talked about where and how they were made (Erwin, TN, and hand painted by local women from the 1930’s to when they closed in 1957). Those women had painted thousands of different patterns, most of which were identified by a number, not a pattern name. To help avoid pattern confusion, the authors started giving names to the patterns. And I found out the dishes I had shared my name. Serendipity!! And so I started to buy (rescue) most any piece of Blue Ridge I see. And now I want some of it to find a new home as I downsize. This one is a small platter on the Skyline black. The pattern is “Bittersweet”. It probably dates back to the early to mid 1950’s. Considering it’s older than me it’s holding up nicely! I found no chips or cracks. No crazing either, just light utensil marks and some scuffs on the bottom from the decades spent sitting in a shelf. The platter measures approximately 13.5” x 11.25”