Knowles Collector Plates

There are few ceramic collectibles companies as well known as the Edwin M. Knowles company. Knowles collector plates, including their treasured Norman Rockwell plate line, are still hot on the market among fans of ceramics that celebrate Americana.

The story of Knowles collector plates began in 1854, when family members formed the Knowles, Taylor & Knowles ceramic company in the town of East Liverpool, Ohio. Knowles designs revolutionized the field of ceramic production and proved particularly popular through the '60s, at which point production ceased.

Revived as a copyrighted entity of the Bradford Group in 1982, Knowles began to create collector plates. These commemorative plates, the most popular featuring compositions by famed illustrator Norman Rockwell, are now almost as celebrated as antique Knowles pieces.

Quick Facts

• One of the most successful Knowles, Taylor & Knowles lines was Lotus Ware, which debuted in 1892 and was later considered one of the finest porcelain lines to emerge from 19th-century American ceramic production
• Knowles experienced immediate success with dinnerware lines, including the Accent, Esquire, and Criterion collections