Intro – What is Transferware?
The term Transfer Ware or Transferware refers to pottery decorated via a method known as transfer printing, which became popular in the mid-eighteenth century. Transfer printing is accomplished by impressing a design from an inked, carved/etched-metal plate onto thin paper, so that the pattern may then be transferred onto the surface of another substrate such as enameled metal, wood or ceramics.
image credit: tooveys.com/lots/310480/a-
The History of Transferware
Transfer printing on pottery was documented as early as the late 17th century in Italy, but it failed to achieve widespread popularity, and very few specimens have survived.
Transfer Printing Process Examples, 20th century, Spode Ltd. (1970–2009) England, ceramic, copper and paper
Transfer printing on pottery was adopted in England starting in the early 1750s, and mass produced there through the 19th century. A few men were instrumental in developing the process, which evolved with the application of new materials and methods.
John Brooks, Artist and Engraver
Irish artist John Brooks developed a commercial process to produce transferware. In 1751, while residing in Birmingham, Brooks petitioned for a patent for “printing, impressing, and reversing upon enamel and china from engraved, etched and mezzotinted plates and from cuttings on wood and mettle...” His endeavor failed, because Brooks was repeatedly denied a patent.
Robert Hancock, Etcher and Engraver
Another important figure in the history of English transferware was Robert Hancock. An eminent etcher and engraver, Hancock is credited with perfecting transfer printing on porcelain at the Worcester factory. By the mid 1750s the Worcester porcelain factory was producing overglaze prints, predominately in black, as well as underglaze prints in blue.
John Sadler and Guy Green, Entrepreneurs
Meanwhile, John Sadler and Guy Green of Liverpool, began transfer printing on delftware, a tin-glazed earthenware that developed in England from the similar Italian Maiolica. In 1756, just five years after Brooks' first failed patent attempt, the two Englishmen claimed in a patent affidavit that they had perfected a process for printing on tiles and that within a period of 6 hours they could "print upwards of Twelve hundred Earthen Ware Tiles of different patterns" .
Tile of tin-glazed earthenware transfer-printed in manganese-purple enamels, made by Guy Green and John Sadler, Liverpool, 1756-1757
Image credit: Presented by Lt. Col. K. Dingwall, DSO Art Fund support https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O20634/tile-sadler-john/
Sadler and Green's trade included overglaze printing on tin-glazed earthenware tiles, as well as porcelain. A partnership with Josiah Wedgwood led to extensive printing on creamware, which became their primary product.
During the Industrial Revolution, Sadler and Green's process established transfer printing as an affordable method to imitate the expensive blue and white hand-painted ceramics developed by the Chinese, known as Export Ware.
Their contribution transformed the industry and created a new market. By the end of the 18th century, the process was widely used – although almost exclusively in England.
Transferware Comes to America
Four factors contributed to the transferware boom and spread overseas:
THE GROWTH OF THE MIDDLE CLASS BOTH IN ENGLAND AND IN THE NEW WORLD
THE INCREASED DEMAND FOR DECORATIVE TABLEWARE AT AN AFFORDABLE PRICE
THE DIVERSITY AND PERSONALIZATION OF PATTERNS
THE EXPANSION OF THE WATERWAY SYSTEM FOR EASY, INEXPENSIVE AND FAST TRANSPORT FROM STAFFORDSHIRE ALL OVER BRITAIN AND EVENTUALLY TO NORTH AMERICA
American Themed Designs come to the Forefront
Colonists seeking to complete their dining tables with the elegant place settings produced in Staffordshire, soon were able to purchase imports from nearby merchants. By 1776, America became an important market with the bustling port cities of Philadelphia, Boston and New York.
Transfer printing on the refined earthenwares such as creamware had become common, and had incorporated patriotic designs celebrating the new republic, historic settings and events and, in particular George Washington. American pottery factories opened but just could not compete with the volume of cheap wares imported from Britain.
Samson Tams, Merchant
Samson Tams was one of six English brothers who sought their fortune in America, in 1816 moving from Staffordshire to New York near the South Street Seaport. There, the retail market was booming during the so-called Era of Good Feelings brought about by the end of the War of 1812.
Tams advertised "Blue and other Dining Sets … Dessert … Coffee and Tea Sets", for resale in the city or packages for the "country trade". Occasionally he listed the ships delivering his stock, "Have just rec’d per ships Rockingham, Amity &c … a very excellent assortment of blue printed Dining Services, Coffee bowls and Saucers, Cups and Saucers, Pitchers and Basins, Jugs, Mugs &c.. while the ships Paragon, Elizabeth, Montgomery, Recovery, & Magnet carried New Waterloo Tea Ware, Flower Pots and Vases, Chimney Ornaments … Blue Printed, Painted, edged &c. Ware of all descriptions".
This Advertisement announced Samson Tams new store in 1817. He respectfully informed his friends and public that he had just arrived with a choice collection of Table, Tea and "Desert" Ware, which he is now opening at the store No. 94 William-street...Being concerned in the manufacture of the above articles he is enabled to sell them at reduced prices."
The financial crisis in 1819 led to the dissolution of Samson Tams’ first business and original partnerships, at which point he relocated to Philadelphia, which remained the nation's largest financial and cultural center.
The Raw Materials
Stoneware (non-porous ceramic), ironstone (a type of stoneware pottery made from Cornwall clay and feldspar), porcelain (vitrified pottery of fine grain, white, often translucent) and bone China (of porcelain clay mixed with bone ash) have all been used in the making of transferware. However earthenware is most commonly used. Varying in color and widely found in nature, this coarsely grained clay is non-vitreous, and thus somewhat porous.
Eighteenth century English potters used kaolin clay to make ‘creamware’, a cream-colored earthenware with a transparent glaze. Harder and more durable than lead-glazed or tin-glazed earthenware, creamware was also stylish and inexpensive to manufacture.
Printing Techniques
Prior to the nineteenth century, most Transferware pieces were overglaze printed on porcelain. Historically, overglaze printing began with Cold Process techniques, including Glue Bat, Block (for tiles) and Lithograph methods. With this method, the designs are pressed on top of the glaze and so are easily worn off.
Printing in more than one color is often referred to as either multicolor or polychrome printing, even if only two colors are involved. Polychrome printing was common in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. While early methods used a single bat (for cold pressing) or metal plate (for hot pressing) more detailed multicolor designs were achieved by employing a series of etched or engraved metal plates. Each plate was inked with a single color, and the tissue paper transfers were laid on the dish in succession, creating the multi color design.
The Printing Process
Nineteenth century examples of Transferware were usually underglaze printed on earthenware. The most advanced method for underglaze printing was Hot Press Printing, described below.
"The copper plate is charged with colour, mixed with a thick boiled oil, by means of a knife and a ‘dabber,’ while held on the hot stove, for the purpose of keeping the colour fluid; and the engraved portion being filled, the superfluous is scraped off the copper with the knife, which is further cleaned by being rubbed with a ‘boss,’ made of leather."--Thomas Battam, Art Director for Copelands, 1851
Image Credit: CC BY-SA 3.0 Work by johnbod work cropped & edited for brightness
Stage 3: transferring the design from the tissue paper to the pot.
Stage 4: fixing the print on the pot via a very light firing.
The Erwin Stover House Collection of Staffordshire Transferware
Our collection represents a dozen different transferware Staffordshire designs.
One of the wonderful things about Transferware was that it made hundreds of patterns accessible to the upper and middle classes. One could purchase classic designs such as Chinoiserie which typically depicts some combination of pagodas, bridges, willow and pine trees, doves, and hills. Chintz designs offered elaborate flowers & floral arrangements. Other designs featured plants, vines, fruits & vegetables, scenes with humans and animals, and even minimalist abstract designs.
Covered Tureen and Stand, Glazed earthenware,"WOODBINE" pattern,Thomas Till & Son, Staffordshire, England, ca 1851; Erwin-Stover House Collection
Meat Platter, Glazed earthenware. "Aurora" pattern, Francis Morley & Company, Staffordshire, England, ca 1845-1860; Erwin-Stover House Collection
Oval Serving Dish, Glazed earthenware, (unidentified pattern), Staffordshire, England, ca 1840-1860; Erwin-Stover House Collection
Compote, Glazed earthenware, "Flosulous" pattern (chintz) William Ridgeway and Company, Staffordshire, England, ca 1834-1853; Erwin-Stover House Collection
Dessert Service for Five, Glazed earthenware plates, cups, saucers, “British Flowers” pattern, William Ridgeway and Company, Staffordshire, England, ca.1834-1853; Erwin-Stover House Collection
Plate, Glazed earthenware, “Wild Rose” pattern Attr. to John Meir & Son, Staffordshire, England, ca 1850; Erwin-Stover House Collection
Handless Cup, Glazed earthenware, “Wild Rose” pattern Attr. to John Meir & Son, Staffordshire, England, ca 1850; Erwin-Stover House Collection
Handle less Tea Cup and Saucer, Glazed earthenware ,”Wild Rose” pattern, Attr. to John Meir & Son, Staffordshire, England, ca 1850; Erwin-Stover House Collection
Small Meat Platter, Glazed earthenware,”Ailanthus” pattern,C & W K Harvey, Staffordshire, England, ca.1835-1853; Erwin-Stover House Collection
Covered Vegetable Dish, Glazed earthenware, Marble pattern, John Wedgwood, Staffordshire, England, ca 1845-1860; Erwin-Stover House Collection