This is a set of 5 art nouveau Woods and Son, England crescent bone dishes in the Marseilles pattern made in 1897-1907 during the late Victorian to Edwardian era.

The art nouveau floral pattern on a molded and beaded semi porcelain, a type of ironstone.

 The design is a lovely green transfer or transferware floral with hand painted gold foliage and trim, and one of the prettiest patterns I have had.

 The crescent dishes, bone dishes or crescent side dishes each measures 1 inch high by 6.5 inches long by 3.25 inches wide.

The versatile and decorative crescent dishes are in very good +++ used vintage condition. The gold is bright, mild but normal crazing and of course no chips or cracks. There are a few bits of kiln dust and a firing hairline on the base of one, but really remarkable condition. 

 Crescent dishes were developed by the Victorians to sit by the dinner plate and collect the bones of the meal.

They are used now for salads, sauces, sushi at the dinner table...even jam and cream for scones at the tea table. I keep my glasses in one at night by the bedside. I also use one on my desk for paper clips. The desk doesn't have to be boring!