Mason's "Net" pattern appears to have been derived from a printed chintz fabric of the period, the sort of household good that, like the plates it inspired, was targeted at the rising middle class, hungry to acquire finery. The center medallion and border both employ a dense ground pattern of circles and crosses overlaid with unusual looking squiggly vines and angular flowers .Between center and border, a broad contrasting field is left only lightly decorated with dots, dashes and foliage clusters. Executed in purple transfer, the pattern is finished with generous enamel touches in purple, rust, pink and green.

The scallop and point profile of the blank contrasts with the smooth edge of  the printed circular border. The little points peeking out from under the transfer give the impression--accidental or not-- of a delicate circular napkin in or doily laid atop the scalloped plate. 

While the size of these plates corresponds to what we consider a luncheon plate, likely they were intended for tea or dessert.

In our references, we find two listings for this pattern; a bone china sugar bowl in a 2003 Christie's South Kensington auction catalog and  a group of tea wares from a 1987 exhibition and sale of Masons wares held at Samlesbury Hall, Preston U.K. The first listing identifies the pattern name, while the second illustrates the pattern executed on a variety of frilly bone china shapes popular with mid-century Victorians. We think it is safe to assume that the pattern was more frequently employed in bone china production than on stoneware.  Paired with the ironstone plates offered above, they illustrate two very different strategies of Mason's production and marketing.