Henrywood's Highlights
Transferware from a British Perspective

Number Thirty-Two of an Ongoing Series by Dick Henrywood

Dick Henrywood
And now for something completely different. I have tended to avoid covering British views in this column since they are being systematically covered in The Transferware Recorder, but I find I have also neglected views of Europe. As a first step towards correcting this omission, here is a series made specifically for the German market with scenes titled in German.

“Hamburg Ansichten” series

A series of views in and around Hamburg in Germany by an unknown maker, the series title translating to Views of Hamburg. It was probably made in the North-East of England, the potters there having significant trade across the North Sea to markets in Germany, Belgium and Holland. It has been suggested that these Hamburg scenes were made by William Smith & Co. for an agency they had in the German city, but no marked example has yet been recorded and many Smith wares do bear maker’s marks. The series was produced on children’s plates, either circular or octagonal in shape. The circular plates have a moulded rim of flowers and leaves, usually picked out in enamel colours and pink lustre. The octagonal plates also have moulded rims, but with a common design of repeated flowerheads. Examples are found with the centres printed in printed in black, brown, green, or red (or pink). The possibility should be noted, of course, that more than one potter may have produced the series, one making the circular plates and another those which are circular.

Recorded scenes are:

“Aussicht von Stintfang Aus”
Octagonal plate 17.5cm
Illustrations: Riley 1203 (octagonal plate)

“Das Altonaer Thor”
Circular plate 18.5cm

“Das Dammthor”
Circular plate 16.5cm
Illustrations: Riley 1202 (circular plate)

“Die Esplanade”
Octagonal plate 17.5cm
Illustrations: Riley 1205 (octagonal plate)

“Die Lombards Brücke”
Circular plate 16.5cm
Illustrations: Godden & Gibson 185 (circular plate)

“Hamburg’s Burgermilitair”
Circular plate 16.5cm
Illustrations: Riley 1201 (circular plate)

“Klopstocks Grabmal”
Circular plate 18.7cm
The title translates to Klopstock’s Grave. Friedrich Gottlieb Klopstock (1724-1803) was an important mid-eighteenth century German poet. He died in Hamburg on 14 March 1803 and is buried in the churchyard of the village of Ottensen.

“Neuer Jungfernstieg”
Octagonal plate 17.5cm
Illustrations: Riley 1204 (octagonal plate)

“Rathaus”
Circular plate 16.5cm
Illustrations: Riley 1200 and Colour Plate CXV (circular plate)

At the time of writing only four of these nine scenes feature in the TCC database, so we would be very grateful for images of the five new scenes so that they can be entered. We would also love to hear of any examples which may add to our records, particularly any items or scenes not noted above. Responses should be sent, as usual, to e-mail: henrywoodshighlights@transferwarecollectorsclub.org.

(Click on images for a larger view.)

“Klopstocks Grabmal”, circular plate in red.	“Die Esplanade”, octagonal plate in black.

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