Black Bat Transfer Ware Trio

• Coffee Can - A coffee can is a cup for holding coffee, but of a cylindrical shape rather than the waisted shape of traditional cups. They were in use at the end of the 18th century and in the early 19th century.
• Transfer Printed / Decorated Transferware - Transfer printing is method of decorating ceramics, reducing the cost of decoration when compared to employing artists to paint each piece. A print was taken on transfer-paper from an engraved copperplate, covered in ink prepared with metallic oxides, and the image on the paper was then applied to the biscuit-fired ceramic body. The print was fixed by heating the object in an oven, and then glazed, sealing the picture. Early transfer prints were blue and white, as cobalt was the only colour to stand firing without blurring. Early in the 19th century advances in the composition of the transfer paper resulted in better definition and detail, and enabled engravers to combine line-engraving with stipple.

This item has been included into following indexes:

• Worcester (England), item types
  • tea and coffee cups and trios 103
  • tea bowls 128
• Worcester (England), other - Barr Flight Barr / Flight, Barr & Barr 142