HISTORY:

Here is a piece that my wife has decided to find a new home for, one of her "oldies" but she is working hard at obtaining even older figurine pieces (pre-1900's) and this "youngster" needs to make way for others that she is adding to her collection.

This hand decorated plate was definitely crafted in August 1939, just think about that ... when this piece was made, Neville Chamberlain had only just recently announced "peace in our time" (1938) but Hitler then continued his invasion of Czechoslovakia in early 1939, followed by the invasion of Poland in September 1939 - WWII had begun! This plate was being made during times of great turmoil.

EMPIRE PORCELAIN CO. - Small Square Table Plate

Made at Stoke-On-Trent England

5.25" square tableware plate with a central depression onto which the artist has painted a work called "Dickens Days"

This artwork has been hand crafted, brush strokes with no dot or dab painting. The artwork is very detailed and multicoloured, it must have taken quite some time to create this art. A four horse stage coach is drawn up in front of an Inn and from the rear of the stagecoach, something is being either loaded or removed. My wife's first thought was a hearst but then she changed her mind, the various gentlemen around or on the stagecoach (we count 8 of them!) are quite colourfully dressed, this would not be appropriate to be transporting a body! More likely to be some goods either being loaded onto or taken off the stagecoach.

Topside of the china has had a lime Green wash applied, the underside has been left neutral.

DIMENSIONS:

Square plate (actually not quite square) 135mm (5.25") x 134mm

BACKSTAMP

Here is a photograph of the actual item backstamp ... yes it is not easy to see clearly, in reality it is quite faded but it is easier to work out when viewed in good sunlight.

Across the top is the makers name EMPIRE and below this on each side (at an angle) is Shelton Ivory. Nestled between all of this text is ENGLAND

Lastly, at the base of the backstamp (very hard to figure out) is 8 3 9, this is the month/year mark i.e August 1939

COSMETIC CONDITION:

This piece just had it's 86th birthday ('born' in August 1939) but she has aged quite well!

CLEAN

NO chips

NO scratching to the base lime Green wash or the central artwork

I can see two non-discoloured fleabites on the underside.

Like humans who are in their 80's, cracks are showing on the top surface - yes, there is crazing evident (not surprisingly) but it is not severe and NO bacteria has made a home under the glaze and within the clay (usually some Brown stains are evidence of this)

A nice little piece of history from right at the beginning of the last World War.

Features:

Handsfree operation - full duplex

24 programmable multi-function keys with dual-color
LED indicators - for speed dialing, line appearances, feature access

Eight function keys: Hold, Superkey, Message, Speaker, Mute, Transfer/ Conference, Redial, Cancel

Three context-sensitive softkeys for intuitive feature access

Two-line, 20-character white, backlit, graphics display, with auto-dimming

Superkey programming for easy access to telephone system features

Peripherals and modules support

Off hook voice announce

On hook dial

Dedicated headset jack

Speed calling

Call hold - Place/Retrieve

Call transfer

Do Not Disturb

Call Forward

Conference call setup

Voice mail access – large message waiting lamp

Browser-based desktop configuration tool

Direct page / Group page

Last number redial

Automatic Call Distribution (ACD) agent and supervisor support

Customizable center panel

Hearing Aid Compatible handset

Wall mountable

Two-position, 35 degree tilting stand for better viewing angle

Multiple powering options (802.3 af compliant)

Power over Ethernet support for IP Programmable Key Modules (PKMs) and the Line Interface Modules

XML support for applications development

Compression Support: G. 711, G.729

Voice QoS: Supports 802.1p/q for quality of service

I have not spent a lot of time working on this one, I know they came from a fully working environment and I powered it up via a dc power pack (NOT SUPPLIED) have not had a "look" at the web interface.

It goes through a bootup sequence and is looking for the DHCP host - I spent no further time on the phone at that point.

Most likely you would need to reset the admin username/password and then do your SIP configuration.

The Administrators manual is most useful for this.

So, connect via a PoE 803.2 af capable switch, setup up phone via the web interface and you have a great IP phone here.