English Porcelain Tankards, Willow Bowl, Tea Bowl, Teacup Collection
click the photo to enlarge
Royal Doulton pair of English porcelain tankards, Grainger & Co. 'Willow' pattern bowl, antique English tea bowl and saucer, plus blue and white teacup, 18th, 19th and 20th century, (6 items), the bowl15.5 cm diameter
You must be a subscriber, and be logged in to view price and dealer details.
Subscribe Now to view actual auction price for this item
When you subscribe, you have the option of setting the currency in which to display prices to $Au, $US, $NZ or Stg.
This item has been sold, and the description, image and price are for reference purposes only.
- Willow Pattern - Although several potteries including Minton and Spode claim credit for design of the Willow pattern, the design is generally attributed to Thomas Turner of Caughley Porcelain Works in Shropshire, about 1780.
Whilst borrowing from the Chinese style, it was not a copy of a Chinese pattern.
The blue-and-white chinaware on which it appeared became immensely popular and the design was reproduced with variations by many English and European factories including Royal Worcester, Spode, Adams, Wedgwood, Davenport, Clews, Leeds and Swansea.
It was even copied in Asia, where it is still produced, with the wares being exported to Western countries.
The pattern portrays the garden of a rich mandarin whose young daughter elopes with his secretary. The lovers, overtaken on the bridge by her father, are transformed by the gods into birds and flutter beyond his reach. The scene with its willow tree usually covers the central part of a plate, dish, or bowl, with a border of butterflies, a fret, or other motif.
Traditional Willow pattern is in cobalt blue on white, though very occasionally other colours are used, such as purple or brown. The main part of the object contains the trees, houses, bridge, figures, and birds of the story and there is usually a fairly abstract pattern around the extremities.
This item has been included into following indexes:
- Royal Doulton (England) Series Ware - Willow Pattern Stories 10
- Royal Doulton (England), item types