Following up on my post yesterday about my Top 10 Vintage China Patterns, today I’m focusing on flow blue. If you’re unfamilar with “flow blue,” here’s a quick summary from Wikipedia:
“Flow blue is a style of white earthenware, sometimes porcelain, that originated in the Regency era, sometime in the 1820s, among the Staffordshire potters of England. The name is derived from the blue glaze that blurred or “flowed” during the firing process.
Most flow blue ware is a kind of transferware, where the decorative patterns were applied with a paper stencil to often white-glazed blanks, or standard pottery shapes, though some wares were hand painted. The stencils burned away in the kiln. The blue glazes used in flow blue range from gray-blue to sometimes greenish blue, to an inky blue; however the most desirable and sought-after shade is a vivid cobalt blue. Mulberry is another form of flow blue, where the glaze is more purple in hue.”
Here are my favorite flow blue patterns:
1. Abbey by George Jones & Son
2. Hollyhock by Josiah Wedgwood
3. Keele by W.H. Grindley
4. Argyle by Ford & Sons
5. Touraine by Alcock & Co.
6. Devon by A. Meakin
7. Dahlia by Upper Hanley Pottery
8. Lonesdale by Samuel Ford & Co.
9. Leon by J. & G. Meakin
10. Melbourne by W.H. Grindley
Good luck in collecting your own tabletop of flow blue!
Lovely Flow Blue patterns..Thank You
I have all of this from my husband’s grandmother. I would like to sell it. How?
Have a full set of 12 place settings ( no cups)
gravy bowl- butter dish- sugar and creamer and meat
platter. I would like to sell these. It is the fourth
pattern in the top ten listed above.
Correction It is the third listed. The Keele
Pattern.
Hopefully some interested blog reader could give you 12 place settings a new home!
I need to buy a doz tea cups and saucers leon series I have the complete set of others of 12
Have you tried Replacements Ltd.?!
Kathryn
i have a water/milk pitcher in blue flow that has a pic of the wanderer ship on one side and a pic of a windmill scene on the reverse..i have googled everywhere and cant find any info on it..would you be able to direct me in my search
Hi Dotie,
Does this piece have any markings on the bottom. If so photography them and geet that to me and I will try to research some for you. There are several good books on flow blue identification. You might look for those on Amazon and see what you come up with.
Kathryn
I have a serving plate with a fishing village it looks like its meant to look old, how do I tell the age?
Thank you.
Chris Horton
Fair Oaks Ca.
Is there a mark on the back of the plate? If so, you might can date it from there. Or a pattern name?