Some call it Transferware some call it Staffordshire. Staffordshire refers to the Region in England where the clay was right to create the dishes. Made from earthenware, ironstone, or porcelain, Transferware refers to the technique they used to create the pattern.
Using an engraved copper plate to create the design, the copper plate is then heavily inked with transfer ink, scraped and a piece of very thin tissue paper is mounted to the copper plate.
The tissue is then rubbed into the copper plate which creates the transfer. After inspection of the tissue it is cut and the transfer is applied to the blank. Blank referring to the dish it is being applied to. Pressure is put on the paper to make sure they have a good transfer and then the “paper” is moistened and pealed away. At this point the dish can be glazed and fired in a kiln into something you are now familiar with. This is a very simplistic description but I do think it enhances the joy of owning an antique if you have some knowledge of how it was created.
Available in not only blue/white it was also made in red/white, brown/white, black/white, green/white, and purple/white also known as mulberry. The earliest Transferware dates back to around 1750. It became quite popular again around 1820-1830. If your lucky you can still find some of these pieces available from the 1820-30 time but they do claim a higher price. The bulk of what we see in the midwest is from that 1890-1910 period where there was a resurgence in it’s popularity, this later period can be purchased for a very reasonable price. This is a fascinating video Transfer Printing Demonstration at Spode where you can actually see how it’s done.
There were 100’s of factories in the Staffordshire Region of England and some you will still be familiar with today. Ridgeway, Spode, Wedgewood, just to name a few. Often a family business it wasn’t uncommon for artisans to jump ship and go work for the factory next store.
My love affair with Transferware began with a bed design. I needed a bed and I asked my dad to help me build one. This was back in the 80’s when we didn’t have a lot of money. My mom had seen a picture in Colonial Homes Magazine that she thought would be perfect for our project. I loved it and I am still using that bed today. The only problem is that it creates an awkward wall space in which to put a piece of art over the bed. I knew I loved blue and white and thought this would be the perfect solution. What started with a small platter with a chip for $10 has turned into a life long passion with transferware.
It took a long time but I eventually had enough to do that wall. And then some! Plates lead to platters and cream pitchers and sugar bowls and vegetable dishes and bone dishes and tureens. I was once at an antique show and came across a platter and 2 plates. I really could just afford the platter but the dealer was telling me about the collector that owned the plater plus two plates. She was willing to sell me just the platter but I couldn’t split them up that just wasn’t right. They needed to stay together. They weren’t a matching set but they were sisters of someones heart. I spent well over $100.00 that night, the most I’de ever spent, I was thrilled.
As my collection grew so did my expectations. I became more knowledgable and more selective, I looked for pieces that were more rare and eventually upgraded some of my first pieces.
Condition is always important if you can afford to be choosey, but a piece with a few scars or a chip if it doesn’t effect the viewing can be purchased for far less than pristine and it can be an affordable way to get what you want. These are shelf pieces therefor if they are grouped no one will notice if one has a crack or chip. It’s the Velveteen Rabbit syndrome! And stop and think, I have plates that are 200 years old! I’m 66 and I have way more scars than any of my dishes.
Sheltered Peasants Platter
In 1999 I purchased a very old pre-1820 platter called Sheltered Peasants in Maine that was in deplorable condition. It has a large chip and many, many deep knife cuts even thru the glaze. I paid over $100 for it because I loved the pattern, I had never seen it before and clearly this old platter was well loved. When I got home and started researching it I discovered roughly how old it was and that it is actually quite rare. It is still one of my favorite pieces of Staffordshire. I have never seen another piece in this pattern and I know that if it were in good condition it would probably bring in the neighborhood of $600.00 plus. Even now I would never pay that much for a piece, but I would love to have it restored one day. OK maybe I could be tempted!
I started out collecting only the light blue pieces until I found the Sheltered Peasants piece and then I started adding some of the Flo Blue. I think these few pieces have created a nice punctuation point to the original collection.
I don’t collect any one pattern every piece is different. I think because it is a group of unique pieces it makes the collection more interesting. Most of my collection is now down to that 1820-1850 preferable time frame. This collection has been all over my house. In the master bedroom, in the Welsh Cupboard and now it resides in the lower level. Any place I put it, it looks terrific.
I am thinking about starting a Bit About Series. This would be a series about once a month where I will pick an antique that I have and share with you what I know about it. Would that be something that would interest you? Let me know in comments.
Get out there and find what you love, wearing a mask of course!
Thanks for stopping. Shelley
