Photos of the Month

Thanks to Pat Halfpenny for this iconic photo/postcard of Stoke-on-Trent on a less than clear air day.  See the February 2021 Photo of the Month in the TCC website to compare with an actual clear air day.

A highlight of many TCC annual meetings is handling and discussing features associated with various transferware patterns and forms.  This montage shows a handling session during our 2016 Charlottesville, VA meeting.  We travelled one day to Washington and Lee University in Lexington, VA, to view the Reeves Collection of Chinese export porcelain and armorial porcelain, with examples dating from 1500 to the present. We were royally hosted by curator Ron Fuchs.  

Winter scene of the Dudson Museum (housed primarily in the large bottle oven!).  Drone view by the Stoke Sentinel; thanks to Phil Rowley.  Interior view from the museum’s website.   More Information.

A smattering of Christmas and New Year transferware patterns.  All from the TCC Database of Patterns and Sources. Members, search for more!

A Happy New Year to You:  Children’s Plate, maker unknown, TCC DB 14479.

Christmas Bells (A Merry Christmas and (A Happy New Year):  small bowl by David Lockhart & Co, 1876-98, TCC DB 13422.

Christmas Eve (Wilkie’s Designs) series: plate by Ralph & James Clews, 1814-34, TCC DB 1972.

Father Christmas:  Children’s Plate by Charles Allerton & Sons, 1832-42, TCC DB 8564.

Xmas Eve:  Pratt/Polychrome pot lid, by F.&R. Pratt & Co, TCC DB 11670.

Grant Wood Certainly Knew His Tea

TCC members were treated to many transferware delights at our 2014 annual meeting held at Winterthur Museum, Garden and Library in Delaware.  Pictured here is part of the display in the special exhibit “Transferware:  A Story of Pattern and Color”; and obviously engaged meeting participants viewing various transferware-related documents and prints from the Winterthur library and archives (candid photo).

Just a sampling of the hundreds of children’s mugs in the collection of Historic New England (HNA), located in the Boston MA vicinity.  We viewed the mugs and much more at the HNA Collections and Conservation Center as part of our October 2013 Annual Meeting.  Read more about the meeting.  Read about every TCC Annual Meeting.

From a New Hampshire Collection, viewed during the TCC 2010 Annual Meeting.

Ceramic wonders tower over a visitor at the V&A Museum in London.

Two examples from the bat printing process.  Images by Robert Copeland.  For additional images, visit the TCC website Image Gallery:  https://www.transferwarecollectorsclub.org/annex/image-gallery/processes/processes-bat-printing/.  

A view of the famed Blue Room at the Spode pottery in Stoke-on-Trent.  Photo by Robert Copeland, from the TCC website Image Gallery.  Or visit the website of the Spode Museum Trust.

Very few of the 8,000 – 9,000 advertising pot lids portray an actual building, let alone the owner’s residence (in this case) or the actual manufactory (apparently across the road).  This one does.  According to the Historic England website, Summer House dates from around 1710-1720.  The lid probably dates from the later 19th century.  More information in the TCC DB, Pattern # 12307.

The Carmel Mission, Monterey County, California. This child’s plate was on display in the mission museum. We’ve seen similar mid-19th century English transferware at several other missions over the years.

A rare "no-smoke" day in Hanley, believed to be 1930s.

Credit:  Nicholas Panes, Facebook site The Pottery Manufacturers of Stoke on Trent

Photo on the occasion of her 82nd birthday in 1937.  Just one of hundreds of images in the TCC Website Image Gallery. View more photos.

What is Dick Henrywood photographing?  This alcove is faced with dozens of transferware patterns.  How many can you identify?  See more in the TCC Bulletin, December 2020. English Transfer Printed Earthenware at Junagarh Fort, Bikaner, Rajasthan, India

Remembering Robert Copeland (Spode Factory), for no particular reason other than we miss him! Robert travelled to and spoke at our 2001 Annual Meeting in Monterey, CA, just weeks after 9/11, and was immeasurably helpful with our 2003 Annual meeting in Stoke-on-Trent, England. Shown here demonstrating how to use a foot bath (Spode, of course) even if without water, and in a more formal shot. Images from the TCC website Image Gallery. 

One of the hightlights of our 2011 annual meeting was a visit to a private collection. In this case, we viewed extraordinary American historical transferware and enjoyed wonderful views of the Baltimore Harbor, all at one location!

An undated photo of the Britannia Pottery in Glasgow, showing nine kilns, innumerable saggars, and workers.  For those less familiar with the pottery firing process, the wares were placed in the saggars, which were in turn placed into the kiln for firing.  

Thanks to George Haggarty for this image, from his Facebook page, with permission.

Part of an interior wall within Junagarh Fort, Bikaner, Rajasthan, India. What are these transfer-printed drainers (and many more) doing in relatively remote Bikaner? A research article on the 110 transfer printed, three Chinese Export (also shown in this photo), and two creamware patterns affixed to the walls of four locations within the fort is available for download. English Transfer Printed Earthenware at Junagarh Fort, Bikaner, Rajasthan, India

The Minton Stoke Robey steam engine, transported to and restored at Cheddleton flint mill. To view more images encompassing numerous topics, visit the TCC Website Image Gallery.

View downstream from the Cheddleton Flint Mill near Stoke-On-Trent, England (above), taken on the same occasion as the image below of the mill (below).  The contrast between the industrial and the rural in 18th century England is apparent!  Thanks to Roger Pomfret for the image.

Flint, an important pottery ingredient, was fired and milled at this location, not far from Stoke-On-Trent, England. The flint was transported by canal from the beaches of the English Channel to the mill. TCC members spent a lovely morning at the site, as part of our 2003 annual meeting. View several thousand images related to ceramics and transferware on our website’s Image Gallery, here. Read a description of the 2003 meeting here.