Great Canadian Commemorative Plates Index 1837-1901 - 1

Time Base Guide - This is intended to provide a rough visual chronological record of the major commemorative ceramic plate transfer types that were supplied to the Canadian market from 1834-1925. We believe that if you can match the transfer type, with this guide, you are close to dating your plate with the significant people, places, and events it reflects.

Not Comprehensive - It is not intended to reflect every plate and transfer combination ever made. You can find the same transfer on plates that are square, octagonal, round or oblong, and bearing a wide variety of colours, rims, and raised surface swirl decorations.

Dates reflect the earliest date that each plate transfer probably was introduced. Production runs of that design might last only a year; in other cases the same plates could be produced for decades. (Some dates are wrong - you guess which ones! This is not - as Elizabeth Collard made clear - an exact science.)

Finally, none of these "Canadian" plates were made in Canada; all are European imports, and they can all be found in Canadian homes today. They brought joy to countless millions of Canadians over many generations who cherished the heritage of Canada, and the many people, places, and events they depicted, that made it like no other place on earth.