Transferware
The term Transferware refers to pottery that has an applied decoration that uses an imprint method. The artist etches the image onto a copper plate, inks it, then transfers the inked image onto paper. Then, the inked paper is applied to the wet pottery. The final step is firing the piece in a kiln. Transfer prints are mostly found on earthenware, ironstone, and sometimes china.
Transferware originated in Britain in the second half of the 18th century. Many believe it to be in Staffordshire County, England. Beautiful patterns on full sets of china were designed for not just the wealthy, but now the middle class. China makers like Wedgwood and Spode created sets of pottery using exotic patterns from late 17th and early 18th-century Chinese designs. The “Blue Willow” pattern became quite popular. The transferred image often included Chinese motifs such as doves, pagodas, willow trees, even fishermen crossing arched wooden bridges. Woods and Sons of England was a prominent company, also Spode. Today a 19th century Spode Blue Willow cup can bring $200. In the early 19th century, other colors in the Blue Willow pattern were added including red, pink, green, and even black.
In the 1820s, British china companies embraced this method. Many believe that the early 1800s was the golden age of Transferware because of the thousands of patterns that emerged. Later the companies, wanting to appeal to the American consumer, incorporated recognizable American motifs in their designs such as notable buildings, war memorials, and American landscapes.
I recently discovered a Transferware soup tureen in pink at West End Garage in West Cape May. It is made by the Mason company, which began in 1813. That year, the words “Mason’s Ironstone” were stamped into the wet pottery base.
The soup tureen has the word “England” and the Mason’s logo, helping to pinpoint its age. This met the requirements for American import laws in 1891, so it’s safe to say it wasn’t made before then. The piece shows some wear and crazing (fine cracks), which helps to measure age. Also, it’s heavy which is typical of antique English ironstone, which is known for its strength. It is impervious to water and heavier than pottery. The pattern is Vista. It depicts a stately manor home in the distance with well-dressed couples in the foreground, and park views surrounded by an oak leaf border, as though we are looking through a vista (a long narrow opening). Included with the soup tureen is a matching tray. The pottery ladle is missing, as often happens due to common breakage from use.
Note: if on the reverse side of the piece are words, “guaranteed permanent and acid resisting colors” or “permanent detergent proof decoration” then the piece was made after the 1940s. Always do your research before making a purchase.
When the soup tureen was made it was practical as well as decorative. A Transferware soup tureen not only served as the centerpiece on the dining table but was functional in keeping the soups or stews in it piping hot. Today, customers purchase antique soup tureens either for their value as a collectible or merely for the aesthetic quality. You’d seldom use this piece for its intended purpose. It’s never a good idea to purchase an antique or vintage piece to contain food because of crazed glazing and lead content. Even in today’s chinaware, crazed pottery shouldn’t be used for food. Bacteria may be present in the crazing and no matter how it’s cleaned, can be reintroduced into the food.
If you’re a serious collector of Transferware then purchase a few books—Kovel’s is good—research at museums or even join a Transferware Club. Online resources are available and are very helpful. In the vast sea of pottery identification, don’t despair; today there are countless ways to narrow down your piece’s history.
