In these handless cups and saucers, Ridgway, Morley and Wear's "Caledonian" pattern follow...
In these handless cups and saucers, Ridgway, Morley and Wear's "Caledonian" pattern follows a simple formula--a lively plaid pattern and coordinating medallion. The tartan-like plaid evokes the romance of the Scottish highlands as does the use of the Roman name for the region, Caledonia.
A second glance, however, reveals a designer's deviation from the Scottish originals. The strict horizontal and vertical lines of traditional tartan have been replaced by intersecting arcs, each bearing an ornamental pattern resembling embroidery; the spaces left by the intersections contain additional crosshatching. Not only do these arcs conform to the curved surfaces of both the cups and saucers more readily than right-angle lines, they are handy for the formation of the eight-pointed star medallion in the center. The only other ornamentation is a lightly drawn border of pendant devices to finish off the border edge.
Ridgway, Morley and Wear found their "Caledonian" formula adaptable to a number of decorative variants. In addition to the single color red transfer used here, bi-color treatments of red and green were offered as well as variations enriched with enamel highlighting.