Dishing it out The woman, with two children at her side, is
breast-feeding an infant. She may symbolise the act of Charity.
The figurine is an example of one of the more decorative pieces
produced by the porcelain factory in Bow. The piece dates from
the middle of the 1750s. The Bow Porcelain factory was founded
at Stratford in 1747. Bow porcelain was created to compete with
the popular imported oriental porcelain. But it soon established
its own market within Britain. Unlike London's other main
porcelain factory of the time at Chelsea, Bow focused on wares
for everyday use such as cups and bowls. These were decorated in
blue and white patterns imitating oriental designs. Centre for
industry With its location east of London, on the banks of the
River Lea, Bow was well-situated for deliveries of raw
materials. Other factories nearby included a calico-printing
works. Museum number NN2707