Portmeirion Caribbean Platter Collection Limited Edition, CPC3 SM
Portmeirion Pottery

An exceptionally rare limited edition platter from Susan Williams-Ellis's Caribbean Platter Collection - one of only 25 ever made featuring the Dance of the Damsel Fish. Original underwater artwork created from Susan's personal scuba diving adventures in Fiji, the Maldives, and the Great Barrier Reef.

This is not vintage Portmeirion pottery - this is original art on pottery. Created in 2002 near the end of Susan's remarkable career, these platters represent a lifetime of passion for marine life and underwater exploration, culminating in a BBC documentary and major exhibition of her underwater artwork.

Only six fish designs were ever produced in this ultra-limited collection, with just 25 examples of each design. This Dance of the Damsel Fish platter is number two in the series - a museum-quality piece that bridges Susan Williams-Ellis's worlds as both artist and ceramicist.

Susan's Underwater Art Journey

From the 1970's onwards, Susan Williams-Ellis harboured a profound passion for scuba diving and documenting the marine life she encountered beneath the waves. What began as a creative challenge - sketching fish underwater using theatrical greasepaint on plywood in her bathtub - evolved into a lifelong artistic pursuit.

Decades of diving expeditions took Susan to some of the world's most spectacular underwater locations: the technicolor reefs of Fiji, the crystal waters of the Maldives, and the legendary Great Barrier Reef in Australia. Twenty years after her first underwater sketches, Susan returned to Fiji armed with a snorkel and chinagraph pencil, creating new underwater drawings that she would later develop into full-colour artworks back at her boat or hotel.

Using pens, crayons, pastels, and acrylics, Susan transformed her underwater observations into vibrant representations of Caribbean fish and corals. These weren't scientific illustrations - they were personal, passionate artworks capturing the beauty and movement of marine life as seen through the eyes of an artist who loved the underwater world.

The 2002 Exhibition & BBC Documentary

In 2002, Susan's underwater artwork formed the basis of a major exhibition showcasing her fabulous marine illustrations. The exhibition coincided with a BBC documentary about her life and work, bringing national attention to this lesser-known aspect of her artistic output.

To commemorate the exhibition, Susan created an extremely limited run of large decorative platters featuring six of her most cherished Caribbean fish designs. Despite not being numbered, production was so restricted that only 25 examples of each of the six designs were ever made - just 150 platters in total across the entire collection.

The Dance Of The Damsel Fish

This platter features Susan's illustration of the Dance of the Damsel Fish, a distinctive tropical species recognised by its elegant shape and striking markings. Susan's artistic interpretation captures the graceful movement and delicate beauty of this reef-dwelling fish, rendered in her characteristic vibrant style with attention to both scientific detail and aesthetic beauty.

The large 12-inch format allows Susan's artwork to be displayed at a scale that does justice to the subject, creating a stunning focal point that works equally well in a display cabinet or wall-mounted art.

Condition & Presentation

Condition: Mint condition, the artwork is vibrant and pristine with no wear, marks, or imperfections.

Presentation: Supplied in the original presentation box, perfect for gifting or storage. The quality packaging reflects the limited edition status of these pieces.

Authentication: Complete with signed certificate of authenticity from Stephen McKay, co-author of the definitive book "Portmeirion Pottery" and internationally recognised expert. This documentation confirms the platter's authenticity and enhances its provenance and investment value.

Dimensions

• Diameter: 12 inches (30.5 cm)
• Large decorative platter size, suitable for display

Why This Platter is Extraordinary

Ultra-Limited Production: Only 25 examples of this specific Dance Of The Damsel Fish design were ever made. With just 150 total platters across all six designs in the entire Caribbean Platter Collection, these are among the rarest Portmeirion pieces in existence.

Original Artwork: Unlike transfer-decorated pottery, these platters feature Susan Williams-Ellis's personal artwork created from her own underwater diving experiences. You're acquiring original art, not reproductions.

Late Career Masterwork: Created in 2002 when Susan was in her 80's, these platters represent the culmination of decades of artistic development and personal passion for marine life.

BBC Documentary Connection: The exhibition and documentary brought national recognition to Susan's underwater artwork, making these platters historically significant commemorative pieces.

Dual Purpose Design: Works beautifully as either a decorative wall-mounted art piece or as a stunning cabinet display piece.

Museum Provenance: Part of the Stephen McKay Collection with full authentication, ensuring investment-grade provenance.

Collecting the Caribbean Platter Collection

With only six fish designs produced and just 25 of each made, completing a set of Caribbean Platters is virtually impossible. Most collectors consider themselves fortunate to acquire even a single example.

The platters occasionally appear at auction or in specialist collections, but their rarity means they seldom come to market. Many of the original 150 pieces remain in private collections or have been donated to museums, making available examples increasingly precious.

Investment & Display

As Investment:

• Among the rarest modern Portmeirion pieces ever produced
• Limited edition of only 25 per design ensures scarcity
• BBC documentary and exhibition provenance adds historical significance
• Stephen McKay authentication provides museum-quality documentation
• Late-career work by Susan Williams-Ellis at peak of her artistic powers

For Display:

• Stunning as wall-mounted art with proper plate hanger (not supplied)
• Creates a dramatic focal point in any room
• Perfect for collectors of marine art or Susan Williams-Ellis's work
• Conversation piece with fascinating backstory
• Vibrant colours make a bold visual statement

Perfect For

• Serious Portmeirion collectors seeking ultra-rare modern pieces
• Marine art enthusiasts and ocean lovers
• Fans of Susan Williams-Ellis's artistic work
• Investment-grade collectable pottery
• Gift for divers, marine biologists, or ocean conservationists
• Museum collections focusing on British ceramics or marine art
• Anyone who appreciates the convergence of art, nature, and craftsmanship

One of only 25 ever made - a museum-quality limited edition capturing Susan Williams-Ellis's passion for the underwater world. Original artwork, BBC documentary provenance, and extreme rarity make this an unrepeatable acquisition opportunity.

Supplied in presentation box with signed certificate of authenticity by Stephen McKay

Part of the Stephen McKay Collection

Caribbean Platter Collection

From the 1970’s Susan Williams-Ellis had a real passion for scuba diving and recording the beautiful marine life she encountered there. Devising a unique method in her bathtub of sketching fish using theatrical greasepaints on plywood, she drew wonderful pictures from the seabed. Later in life she was lucky enough to visit exotic places such as the Great Barrier Reef in Australia, the Maldives and Fiji. It was here in Fiji, twenty years after her first visit and using a snorkel this time, that Susan made more underwater sketches of beautiful underwater scenes. Using a chinagraph pencil to sketch what she saw, Susan took these back to her boat or hotel and created wonderful representations of the fish and corals in full colour, using pens, crayons, pastels and acrylics. In 2002, these fantastic illustrations formed the basis of an exhibition of her fabulous underwater artwork, along with a BBC documentary.

To coincide with this Susan made an extremely limited run of large decorative platters depicting six of her favourite and cherished Caribbean fish. Despite not being numbered, so limited was the run that it is believed that there were only twenty five of each of the six fish designs ever made!