Identifying pieces

This will possibly be one of my longest posts to date because there are so many things to cover. In the future I may go into more granular detail about patterns and regions but for now, this is an overview of a lot of key details I have learned in my time collecting and researching blue and white ceramics. Motifs, maker's marks, transfer print vs. hand painted can all help to narrow down the origin by region and timeframe, so let's dive in.

Discerning Hand Painting vs. Transfer Print

The first thing I look for in a piece is whether it is painted or transfer print. The result of a hand painted or transfer print design depends on a combination of base material and top glaze used. Either can experience "color bleeding" after firing but they will still appear different. 

Usually you will see the difference between a transfer print and hand painted design in the seams and turns of a piece where a transfer print or stamp cannot turn there will be breaks or faint areas like when a stamp doesn't get inked evenly.

Some hand painting is fine and precise and other hand painting is more fluid and watercolor-like. In hand painted pieces you will sometimes see layers of color/strokes where two light strokes overlap and have a darker color or in the subtle lightening of color at the end of strokes where the brush lifts from the piece.

varying qualities of transfer print. some are one level of color while others will use a lighter and darker blue to achieve a look that mimics the layers of hand painting	A hand painted ginger jar vase. On close look you can see pause points in the straight lines, the lifting and varied strokes of hand painting throughout the piece.

 

Narrowing Down a Maker & Region

Even before looking for a maker's mark you can train your eye to spot blue and white designs by a region by looking at the shape or purpose of a piece, the pattern, and designs. Some of my observations and cues that help me place a piece in both region and time frame. 

I rarely see Japanese or Chinese egg cup for example. Dragons are a pattern mostly seen in Chinese pottery, whereas the Phoenix shows up in both Japanese and Chinese Pottery. Florals in East asian pottery often include lotus, various blossoms, peony, or rose.

Cream, sugar, and egg cups are far more common from European and British makers. Blue Willow, Blue Strawflower, and Blue Onion were made in various countries by many different makers, whereas other patterns will only have been produced in one or two countries. 

Scenic designs from East Asia will be a very specific look and style than say Delft or European scenic designs. Certain patterns had limited production and learning those details is something I really enjoy as part of the discovery, perhaps because as a designer I appreciate how trends are deeply connected to both time and place.

Chinese porcelain tea jar with lid and blue florals	German ginger jar with blue onion pattern and print

 

Europe & America 

The netherlands, copenhagen denmark, and limoges france are several places have iconic centers where they are known for exceptional hand painted porcelain. Many of the blue and white designs from across Europe and the US were transferprints so these will be more common and generally more affordable unless the pattern is older and harder to find. 

A lovely blue willow ironstone piece. While blue willow is an east asian scene this pattern was also produced in England, and this piece had an impressed mark of an anchor dating it to 1800’s and a British Maker.	Liberty Blue Dinnerware was produced in the late 70's originally only available as anniversary bonus for a bank. Pieces were produced in Staffordshire England and later in Germany before being discontinued in the 80's	This grouping features a variety of blue and white cup/saucer sets in different patterns all made in England by different makers.

 

Netherlands 

Known for classic delft designs, most are hand painted and will be clearly labeled on the base of designs. There is also a rich history of hand painted collections carried on today.

A beautiful lidded ceramic piece with classic delft windmill and water scene on the base and a sailboat on the top.	Floral border on top rim and windmill scene in brilliant rich blues on this petite Delft vase.	A collection of delft items: a pair of transferprint miniature clogs, a hand painted and transferprint trinket dish, and a vintage tin.

 

China

They produced both transferware and hand painted designs in a variety of designs. Much of the midcentury and onward designs were made for export and markings are one way to date and place the makers. It's not always easy to tell the transferprint from hand painted designs but closer look at the design will show seams of transferpaper or the soft ended strokes of a hand painted design.

A pair of scenic vases both with really unique shape and side handles.	A beautiful hand painted scenic jardiniere with unique shaped side handles.	A collection of pieces with Chinese pieces - notably the scenic jardiniere/serving bowl with angular shape, the rice grain pattern dipping bowls, and more modern taller hand painted cylinder vase.

 

Japan

They produced both transferware and hand painted designs. Blue and white as well as more colorful imari porcelain were made for export and makers marks or in some rare cases a sticker can help to identify the maker. Rare pieces will be hand signed or stamped. Typically Japanese pottery features finer porcelain base. 

A variety of Japanese produced blue and white porcelain, some hand painted and some transferprinted. From far away it's not easy to tell the two types apart.	A scenic Japanese bowl - most will have scenes of nature either a mountain or forest scene like this one or sometimes a village and trees full of spring blossoms.	The variety of pieces produced in japan means you will get some unique items like chopstick rests or small dipping bowls.

 

Common Patterns or Motifs

Some of the most popular themes and styles, these can be used to help identify and value a piece even before seeing a maker mark. There is so much to cover, but these are some of the most iconic or common motifs I see in blue and white ceramics.

 

Delft 

Typically Delft designs feature a combination of windmills, florals, and nautical themes. 

a classic delft icon, the windmill. This piece is a musical windmill made of ceramic and hand painted.	A unique ring shaped flower frog vase with classic blue and white delft floral design handpainted on exterior.	Combinations of handpainted windmill, sailing, and floral designs on this mug and vase.

 

Blue Flow

Characterized by the blue underglaze bleeding underneath a clear top glaze, the way the underglaze ages on these designs is not crisp but that look that denotes its age is prized by many collectors. This type of pottery is typically 1900's-1930's so antique. Items without chips and in unique forms will carry a higher value. Where many duplicates of a dinner plate were made, only a handful of sugar/creamer or other serving pieces would have been in someone's collection making those styles more valuable to a collector. Blue flow is typically found on heavier ironstone and not porcelain and crazing or cracking of the glaze is typical in pieces of this age and does not typically detract from the value.

A scalloped blue flow serving plate with dark inky florals that have bled and blurred with age.	A scenic blue flow vase has lost it's defined lines but has so much character in it's aged appearance.	The smaller platter has a floral border that has blurred with age along with a beautiful gilded edge still intact.

 

Blue Onion

Pieces like the ginger jar or egg cups or sugar/creamer may be worth more because typically fewer were produced than other items produced in multiples like cups, saucers, plates.	This piece is a Meissen hand painted plated, stamps and marks as well as size and condition will determine the wide range in price with antique Meissen pieces being far more valuable than newer pieces.	A mix of different pieces from different makers. Most notably some of these are Meissen, Blue Danube, and Villeroy and Boch.

 

Blue Strawflower & Blue Fluted

A daintier and more light pattern that you'll find on both antique and modern pieces. It's iconic in its signature combination of outlines, dots, and linear details. Blue fluted is the name when applied to a ridged/fluted surface and blue strawflower when applied to a flat porcelain surface. Also produced in modern variations by Royal Copenhagen.

A selection of more modern (and foodsafe) blue strawflower designs	More modern blue strawflower and blue onion pieces in this group, identified by maker's marks on base.	A really lovely blue fluted/blue strawflower cover/warmer by villeroy and boch.

 

Blue Willow

An eastern style scenic landscape produced by ceramic makers in both the East and West. Typical applied as a transferprint to achieve the finer texture/pattern on the border and within the shapes of buildings.

A Japanese produced blue willow tea set. These can also often be found in a very petite size marketed as children's tea sets as well.	A blue willow dinner set produced in England - highlighting the wide spread of production of this particular pattern.	The iconic blue willow pattern features a scenic center and that iconic border.

 

Scenic

Blue willow highlights when an iconic pattern is more widespread in manufacturing. There is a wide range of scenic ceramics from Europe and Asia that are used to highlight history, iconic buildings, or landscapes/seasons. 

Liberty blue pieces feature iconic American towns and historical moments on the center with a mixed wildflower border.	A pair of Blair's England gilded blue willow tea cups and saucers with a lighter hue blue and ridged body these are a special take on the classic blue willow style.	A hand painted chinese platter, this style is not as deep as a typical Jardiniere so could possibly be used for an orchids table top display or as low tray to hold a candle and some crystals on a coffee table.

 

Phoenix

A mythical bird rising from the ashes and an icon of both transferprint and hand painted styles. 

A vintage Nippon porcelain tea set ith phoenix border	One of those rare times I found egg cups in an East Asian Pattern, some phoenix bird egg cups	A beautiful hand painted phoenix flat platter/serving plate.

Decorating with Blue and White

I'd say something people probably don't consider when purchasing vintage ceramics is food safety. If you want pieces that are food safe look for newer designs or be ok with saving pieces for a credenza or wall mounted display only. Another easy way to incorporate blue and white into your home is with pieces like tea/ginger jars, vases, candles, trinket dishes, or jardinieres. 

A lot of this information in this post also applies to painted/printed ceramics in general. The timeless quality of blue and white really emerges from the fact that the designs, while varied in theme and maker, truly spanned multiple continents. The universal love of blue and white ceramics also allowed for a lot of cross cultural exchange and trade, and means many of these pieces will look just as at home in a modern or neoclassical space.

I hope you learned something new or got inspired by some of the pieces in this post. You can shop some of these pieces and more here.