In 1630 the Dutchman Killian Van Rensselaer purchased a twelve mile long property on the west shore of the Hudson. Although he never visited America, the city of Rensselaer, opposite Albany, is named after him. The view on this plate is based on an engraving after the Irish artist, W.G. Wall (1818–1862). The manufacturer has taken a few liberties with his interpretation, however: a figure on the bank on the right is omitted, an extra boat with three figures is added to the mid-ground, and the formation of trees and a finger of the island on the right are reduced to show more of the town on the distant shore, which has been brought closer.

The ceramics that were produced by Staffordshire potters for the American market can usually be attributed to a manufacturer based on their borders. Borders were made from stock designs in sections that could be transferred onto many objects of different sizes, and each manufacturer had its own registered designs. This soup plate belongs to a number of pieces with a floral border design that have been attributed to an unidentified maker.