Dinner services in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries featured a variety of plate sizes. This especially tiny plate would have filled the role of a smaller "side" plate in a toy dinner service.

The fluted "shell" edge, highlighted here with a cobalt wash, was a popular treatment from the late eighteenth century into the early twentieth.  However, the deep, dramatic scallop of the profile places this toy among early examples. The white appearance of this piece, achieved by adding cobalt as a bluing agent to the yellowish creamware glaze, dates this piece as early as the 1780's.

The bluish glaze of  this piece is generally referred to as a "pearlware" glaze. There is always room for speculation regarding the development of this glaze.  Josiah Wedgwood is generally given credit as originator with his 1779 introduction.  Wedgwood had been working on the concept for some time, however was reticent to offer it to the public for fear of its impact on his very successful creamware or "Queen's ware." Other researchers point out that a similar approach, termed "China Glaze," had already been in production by some Staffordshire potters four or five years prior to Wedgwood's introduction. 

Either way, this little fellow -- by an unknown potter - dates among the early examples of the important new ware.  .