Transferware

Blue Willow Transferware

During the 18th century there was a wave of popularity of Chinese hand-painted chinoiserie. The many patterns of Chinese landscapes and scences made their way on hand panted wallpaper, chinoiserie furniture, and of course on the china. Themost famous transfer ware pattern was developed in the late 18th century by Thomas Minton of the Caughley Factory in Shropshire, England. His Blue Willow pattern combined Oriental images into a romantic scene that has been manufactured for over 220 years . The Spode factory produced the pattern in England in the late 1790s that turned to be popular in England, but also in America. It was found that Blue and white were the most popular colors for dishes in the 19th century from historical sites. In fact many people are avid collectors of the Blue Willow Pattern today. The Blue Willow pattern is not an exact copy of a Chinese pattern but features several traditional Chinese designs. The pattern has changed in variations over time but the basic elements are the temple or palace, a footbridge with three people, a boat with another figure, a willow tree, and the two birds.

What is the story behind the Blue Willow Pattern?

The pattern tells of two ill-fated Chinese lovers. The story has several variations, (as I am sure all stories this old)but the basic story line remains the same. A beautiful young girl from a prominent family falls in love with her father's clerk. They are prevented being married and so decide to elope. Her father pursues them , as some stories may say. In other versions, they are killed by fire. The story end with the fantasy fairytale of two lover transformed into love birds,which continue their love.

Blue Willow Transferware

GelaSkin for iPhone 3G & 3GS, Blue Willow Plate Collection

Blue And White Decorating

Some of the most absolutely stunning rooms have patterns influencing the the overall design of the room. Transferware is known for their intricate details and ornate style. 18th Century design is often filled with ornate chinoserie patterns which you can replicate today in your home. If you are considering a room that reflects your transferware collection, consider toile wallpaper, throw pillows or drapes in a pattern that is take off your favorite plate pattern. Work with the same colors of your plate pattern, but also consider bring in the opposite colors of the color wheel to give it that extra pop!

Blue-and-White-Chinoiserie-Pillows-Horchow

Blue and White Chinoiserie Pillows Horchow Blue and White Transferware

Blue and White Kitchen

White Kitchen with Blue and White Transferware on the wall. Antique rubbed hardware and white marble.

Close Up -Blue and White Toile Wallpaper Coliena Rentmeester

Geoffrey Bradfield

This room designed by Geoffrey Bradfield gives some great ideas of how you can incorportate large scale patterns on the wall when decorating with Blue and White
Country Living (3) Country Living sets up this stunning room with White and Blue Transferware hanging on the wall. The dining room has a claw dining table which is painted a light blue, and Louis Armchairs which are gilded gold. The beige walls draw the room together nicely.

Transferware Process

Before the transferware process of printing was developed, each piece would be hand decorated. The process of producing one set was laborious and costly. Once the mass production of transfer printing came about, middle class families could enjoy dinnerware sets similar to that found in the higher class families but at an affordable price.

The transfer printing process was developed by John Sadler and Guy Green of Liverpool in 1756. The process starts with an engraved copper plate similar to those used for making paper engravings. The plate is used to print the pattern on tissue paper, then the tissue paper transfers the wet ink to the ceramic surface.

Copper plates are intricately hand engraved Photo Credit Nick Pope

Color is spread on the plate which rests on a hot stove Nick Pope

Color is spread on the plate which rests on a hot stove
PhotoCredit Nick Pope

Nick Pope

Hand-Engraved Roller is an alternative method which is uses for continuous printing. PhotoCredit Nick Pope

Hand-Pressed Border, A tissue design is applied by hand and rubbed on to the ware. A water bath disintegrates the tissue, leaving only the pattern.

Nick Pope

The pottery is then dipped in water to float off the paper, glazed, and re-fired.

The ceramic is then fired in a low temperature kiln to fix the pattern. This can be done over or under the glaze, but the underprinting method is more durable.

Transfer printing was originally produced in single-color items only, with colors in blue, red, black, brown, purple and green. Brown tended to be rather a common and inexpensive color, while blue was the most popular, and expensive color. Later, technology developed to allow double or triple color transfers. Often, the rim of a plate was in one color and the center design in another.

Spode Nick Pope

Staffordshire Blue & White Quadrapeds Plate Bishopantiques

Karl Juengel Studio D

Is Date Important With Transferware?

Is it important for Transferware to have the maker’s name on it?
No, infact, many pieces that are made by unknown artists are very much collectable. Transferware value is determined by demand, date, quality of the printing, and rarity. Unmarked transferware can be difficult to determine its origin, but you can often trace a piece, or make a guess on the , glaze, styling and decoration technique. Our motto is collect what patterns you love, and they become valuable in your eyes. (BLUE-TRANSFER-WARE-TRANSFERWARE-HAM-TURKEY-PLATTER-Ebay-Seller-dmcb12564)

Here are some quick tips:

-Transferware patterns made between 1842 and 1883 were registered with the Patent Office in London, and have a date registration mark on the back of the plate.

- The word "Limited" (or an abbreviation such as "Ld." or "Ltd.") in the pottery firm's name indicates a date after 1860 and was not generally used until the 1880s.

-Any piece having the word "Trade Mark" was manufactured after the Trade Mark Act of 1862, and is known to have a manufacture date after 1875.

-After 1884, the registry adopted a single number series, e.g., "Rd. No. 12342", which today can be used to determine a pattern registration date to within approximately one year. Registration numbers greater than 360,000 indicate a date after 1900.

- Transferware patterns made between 1890 and 1920 usually has ‘England’ printed on the back which were to comply with the Mckinley Tariff Act. "Made In England" indicates 20th Century origins.

- Transferware patterns made after 1920 reveal the mark is ‘Made In England’.

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