transferware « Past Imperfect, The Art of Inventive Repair

Posts Tagged ‘transferware’

Flow blue jug, c.1840

Friday, April 16th, 2010

“Flow blue” describes a technique of firing transferware pottery with lime or ammonia chloride added to the kiln, resulting in an intentional blurry or runny effect. Over 1,500 different patterns were produced throughout Europe, England and the United States during the Victorian era

This ironstone pottery jug stands 6-1/4″ high and has a popular Oriental pattern in deep cobalt blue

Although unmarked, I believe this piece to have been made in England

A silvered metal handle with wide bands were secured to the jug, replacing the original broken handle

This similarly shaped flow blue jug shows what the original handle might have looked like on my jug.

Photo courtesy of eBay

Tags:blue & white, English, metal handle, pottery, transferware
Posted in jug | No Comments »

“Oriental” tea cups & saucers, c.1840

Wednesday, April 14th, 2010

A pair of English pearlware cups & saucers with an Oriental motif. The cups are 2-1/4″ tall and the saucers are 5-3/4″ in diameter

The orange transferware decoration of a Chinese man jumping rope is embellished with over painted highlights in pink, yellow, blue and green.

Three out of four pieces are broken and repaired with metal staples

Although these staples are not attractive to most people, they certainly do the trick in keeping the broken pieces intact

Tags:English, staples/rivets, transferware
Posted in cup/saucer | 5 Comments »

Staffordshire child’s mug, c.1840

Sunday, April 4th, 2010

This little pearlware pottery mug was made in Staffordshire, England in the mid-1800’s and was meant to be a “Present for a good boy”.

The cobalt blue transfer decoration depicts a bucolic country house with mother standing outside, a school and a waterfall.

The sharp remains of the original ceramic handle protrudes from the unusual tin plate and scrolled handle repair, not ideal for the fingers of a small boy.

Mug measures 2-3/4″ tall.

Even though the bottom of the mug is undamaged, it is completely covered in tin.

This child’s mug with similar form and transfer decoration has its original applied handle intact.

Photo courtesy of eBay

Tags:blue & white, English, metal handle, pottery, Staffordshire, transferware
Posted in mug/tankard | No Comments »

Pratt “Native Scenery” tea caddy, c.1900

Saturday, March 27th, 2010

English porcelain tea caddy with blue and white transfer decoration, made by F & R Pratt and Company of Fenton, Staffordshire from 1880 to 1920. The scene is believed to depict Lady Eleanor Butler and Miss Sarah Ponsonby known as “The Ladies of Llangollen” who lived together in North Wales from 1790 to 1831.

Tea caddy measures 5-3/4″ high.

Marked in blue transfer on the bottom “Pratts Native Scenery”.

Clever copper strap repair holds together the two broken halves of the lid.

Tags:blue & white, English, porcelain, prattware, transferware
Posted in tea caddy | No Comments »

Chinoiserie sugar bowl, c.1800

Monday, March 22nd, 2010

Brown glazed earthenware sugar bowl with yellow transfer-printed “willow-style” decoration, measures 4-1/2″ tall. For many years this type of pottery was called “Portobello ware”, referring to the area in Scotland where these pieces were made.

Most likely an itinerant tinsmith replaced the original broken pottery lid with one nicely made of tin, with a push pin shaped knob.

This example shows what the original lid may have looked like.

Photo courtesy of Dora Landey Antiques

Tags:English, metal lid, pottery, transferware
Posted in sugar bowl | 1 Comment »

Wedgwood “S.Y.P.” teapot, c.1909

Friday, March 19th, 2010

A tilting teapot invented in 1905 by the Earl of Dundonald from Scotland and coined “Simple…Yet Perfect”. The unique design allows the tea to brew in the built-in infuser shelf as the pot lays on its back, tilts halfway up to drain the hot water from the infuser, then sits upright, ready to pour. Teapot measures 5.75 inches high, 6 inches wide.

The replacement lid is made of Britannia metal (aka britannium), a composite made up of 93% tin, 5% antimony & 2% copper.

The ornately decorated bottom is visible when in use.

An identical teapot with its original lid, seen tilted.

Photo courtesy of Southworks Antiques

Tags:English, metal lid, porcelain, transferware, Wedgwood
Posted in teapot | 3 Comments »

Pearlware blue & white cream jug, c.1820

Wednesday, March 17th, 2010

An English pottery pearlware footed cream jug with cobalt blue transfer decoration, measures 5-1/4″ high.

This was purchased in London at the start of my collecting antiques with inventive repairs.

It remains one of the favorite pieces in my collection.

The broken handle was faithfully reproduced in woven rattan and I have yet to see another example like it.

The original handle, as seen on the same shaped jug below.

Photo courtesy of Merlin Antiques

Tags:blue & white, English, pearlware, rattan, transferware
Posted in jug | 1 Comment »

Clews “Pittsfield Elm” plate, c.1825

Sunday, March 14th, 2010

Spending my teenage years in a small town in the Berkshires meant frequent excursions to nearby Pittsfield, MA, home of three faded movie theaters, a large library and a Mexican restaurant. Once I remember seeing a “Pittsfield Elm” plate for sale in my parent’s antiques shop and feeling a sense of pride that a local tree was immortalized on a plate. This treasured pottery plate was made by James & Ralph Clews at Cobridge Works, Cobridge, Stoke-on-Trent in Staffordshire, UK. They were made between 1818 and 1834 as a part of a highly collected line of Historical Blue Staffordshire pottery.

It has been held tightly together for over one hundred years with 5 flattened copper rivets, and measures 8-3/4″ in diameter.

This English pottery plate with deep cobalt blue transfer decoration is marked on the back WINTER VIEW OF PITTSFIELD MASS, CLEWS as well as impressed CLEWS WARRANTED STAFFORDSHIRE surrounding a crown.

The beloved “Old Elm” in Park Square, as seen in a 1855 engraving, was sadly cut down in 1861.

Photo courtesy of Image Museum

Tags:blue & white, English, Staffordshire, staples/rivets, transferware
Posted in plate/platter | No Comments »

Mason’s Ironstone jug, c.1830

Sunday, March 14th, 2010

A Large English paneled body pottery jug, made in North Staffordshire, England in the early nineteenth century. The Mason family of potters traded under various styles at Lane Delph and Fenton from 1800-54. Charles James Mason patented the famous “PATENT IRONSTONE CHINA” in 1813. Jug measures 8″ high.