sample plates

I use Kelston Potteries ceramic at home and pick up whatever I find at op shops etc. I recently bought 2 gorgeous grey side plates with a grey rose to add to the stash. I haven't seen this pattern before, but it is clearly based on the English J&G Meakin 'Rose Duet'. When I got home I realised that instead of a backstamp, they have handwriting under the glaze. They say :

NEW 5"
L/S 261
22/2/63

They are in great condition. Would these be worth holding on to rather than using?

Here is a link to Replacements Ltd site for Meakins Rose Duet wares.
Hopefully this will help you.

http://www.replacements.com/webquote/MEKRODU.htm

Thanks for that, but these I'm fairly sure that these are Crown Lynn plates. I do have some rose duet by Meakin, which is why I saw the clear similarity. Do you know of a Crown Lynn style that these could be (261 with a single rose in the Meakin style, but the typical Kelston Potteries size and shape)?

Oops sorry about that .... I understand now

New 5" could very well mean a new sample.
L/S in my language would refer to Low Soluable glaze...
261 should be a pattern number - but I only have one listing for that number on the database and it refers to a vitrified monogrammed pattern.
I think that as there is a date under the glaze it would be worth hanging on to them.
I will keep an eye out for that pattern and see if it does have a pattern name and let you know on here.
Crown Lynn sourced many of the lithographs that they used from Britain ...