Patterns of the Month

Each month we feature a new pattern below. Want to learn about other patterns? Find patterns in our Patterns Database.

"French Groups" Plate, 10.25 inches by an unknown maker.  The pattern is part of a series that depicts different floral groups in the center united by birds and flowers in the border.  To learn more about the series and to see more patterns, search "French Groups" in the database.

"Hannibal Passing The Alps" was made by Knight, Elkin & Co. (1826-1846).  This pattern is found on a 15 inch by 12.25 inch platter, but each size in the series has a different center.  It was made in many colors, such as blue, brown, red and purple. For more information about the series,  see "Hannibal Passing The Alps" #1 in the database.  To see more patterns, search "Hannibal Passing The Alps".

Fisherman, possibly by Minton (1793-1872),  is found on a  9.25 inch plate.  The pattern dates from around 1805.  For more information about this pattern, see Fisherman - Minton in the database.

At The Zoo by an unknown maker is found on a 5.12 inch child's ABC plate.   Patterns made to celebrate the popular London Zoological Gardens are found on adult dinner services as well as children's items.  To learn more about this pattern, see At The Zoo in the database.   To see more zoo patterns, type in "zoo" in the Name box in Pattern Search.  There are 41 zoo patterns in the Database.

Enniskerry in County Wicklow, Ireland from the "Hibernia" series by John Wedge Wood (1841-1860) is found on an 8.12 inch plate.  Hibernia is the classical Latin name for Ireland.  The pattern is part of a series where each size and shape has a different scene.  For more information about this series and for more information about this pattern in particular, see the database.

Durham Ox With John Day by an unknown maker is found on a 21 inch by 17 inch platter.  It was copied from an engraving  by T.Whessell after a painting by T. Boultbec.   See the engraving.  The Durham Ox is actually only found on this pattern and the 10" plate and soup plate.  The rest of the series portrays rural scenes with cows and cowmen.  There are nine patterns from the Durham Ox Series listed in the database.  

"The Baltimore & Ohio Railroad" by Enoch Wood & Sons (1818-1846) is found on a 10 inch plate.  This is the level version of the pattern, as there is an incline version.    The pattern is from the Shell Border Series - Circular Center.  More can be learned about the series by searching Baltimore & Ohio Railroad in the database.  To see more patterns in the series, search Shell Border.

"Spray" Plate, 9.75 inches. Made by William Baker & Co. (1839-1932), this pattern is typical of the Aesthetic Movement (1868-1901); it is asymetrical with a small reserve and large surrounding border-like patterns. Sometimes the title seems unrelated to the pattern, but in this case, "Spray" refers to the sprays of blackberries, morning glories and ivy that comprise the border. For more nformation about this pattern, see "Spray" in the database. For more information about Aesthetic Movement pottery, search the Aesthetic category in the database.

William Burgess Tomato Tooth Paste pot lid, 2.9 inches. The toothpaste would have been tomato colored, and not tomato flavored. The lid dates from 1897. Packaging for dental products, food, hair products, shaving cream, soaps and medicinal ointments were commonly in a pottery pot with a transfer printed lid until World War I. Black printed lids were the most common. There are an estimated 10,000 different lid patterns. For more information about this pot lid, see William Burgess Tomato Tooth Paste in the database. For more information about this type of item, see the Advertising category.

E. Wood "No. 106" Series,  Venice 
Plate, 7 inches.  Made by Enoch Wood & Sons (1818-1836), this pattern is part of a series of European scenes that is known as "No. 106" Series. This pattern pictures St. Pietro de Castello in Venice, after a drawing by Clarkson Stanfield that was engraved and published in "Heath's Picturesque Annual for 1832". Yellow is one of the less common colors found on transferware.  For more information about the pattern, see the database. 

"No 107"  Plate,  9 inches.  As there is no other name, the pattern is known by the number printed with the name of the factory,  Enoch Wood & Sons (1818-1846.)  Although the pattern looks oriental, it is actually a romanticized version of an oriental pattern, and thus is found in Romantic Themes/Oriental in the database.  For more information about the pattern, see the database

Original

Willow Nankin 
Saucer, 5 inches. A Caughley (1775-1779) porcelain Willow Nankin pattern that is copied almost exactly from the Chinese original, which is known as Two Birds.  To learn more about this early Willow pattern, see Willow Nankin in the database. 

Child's Plate
Plate, 4.5 inches.  It is printed with a lower case alphabet that is out of order.  Used as a teaching tool, the child had to pick out the letters and put them in sequence.  Try it!  It is not easy.  For more information about this plate, see Alphabet plate in the database. 

Death Of The Bear
Plate, 9.75 inches.  The pattern is part of a large multiple pattern dinner service known as Indian Sporting.   To find out more about this pattern and series, see "Death of the Bear" in the database, where you will also see the original source print by Samuel Howitt.  

Mosaic Tracery
Plate, 10 inches.  This pattern is the same on all sizes and shapes.    The plate has an impressed Clews (1815-1834) mark on the back, along with the printed pattern name.  For more information about this pattern,  see "Mosaic Tracery" in the database.

Arctic Scenery
This 10.5 inch plate depicts at least one of nine scenes from this series of patterns illustrating the travels of Sir Edward William Parry around the northern part of Canada.  The animals in the border, however, are distinctly tropical!  For more information about this amusing and informative series, see Arctic Scenery in the database.

New York From Heights Near Brooklyn - Andrew Stevenson
This 16.5 inch platter illustrates the reason for the interest in patterns that portray early America.  The beautifully printed pattern opens a window onto a view of New York City nearly two hundred years ago.  Made by Andrew Stevenson (1810-1836), the pattern is one of a series.  See this and other patterns of early America under American Themes in the database.

Poor Richard's Maxim's (sic)
Found on a 5 inch plate, this pattern is surrounded by an alphabet border with a Vitruvian scroll edge. There are two maxims that relate to the pattern: "I never saw an oft removed tree nor yet an oft removed family that did so well as those that  settled be" and "Three removes are as bad as a fire and a rolling stone gathers no moss" (actually three maxims!). Poor Richard is the alter ego of Benjamin Franklin.  For more information about this pattern and children's patterns in general, please see the database. Enlarged View

Botanical Vase - Minton
Found on a 9.75 inch pearlware plate, this pattern has the factory name, "Botanical Vase". There are many patterns that are similar by other makers. The vase and its large bouquet of flowers are printed against a beaded medium blue ground. The only border is the stringing at the edge of the plate. The pattern, circa 1820, is found on dinnerware, toilet ware, and tea ware. There are various designs in this pattern, each featuring differing floral arrangements. The vase is always the same. The pattern was made in dark blue for the American Market. For more information about the pattern, take a look at Botanical Vase - Minton in the database.  Enlarged View

Ornithological Series
This series was  made by Andrew Stevenson (1810-1836).  Each size and shape has a different bird or birds in the center.  This 10 inch plate depicts a peacock and turkey.  For more information about this series, see Ornithological in the database.
Enlarged View

"Belmont"
Found on a 17.5 inch by 14 inch platter, this pattern is part of a series that depicts different birds in the center and the corners of the border.  It was made by John Dimmock & Co. (c. 1862-1904).   For more information about this series, see "Belmont" in the database

"A Ride On Carlo"
Found on a 7.25 inch plate, this pattern was made to delight and teach. Along with the alphabet on the border are clock numerals. The lucky child could learn to tell time as well as the ABCs. The actual pattern name is "Childrens (sic) Clock". The pattern was made by Brownhills Pottery (1872-1896). For more information about this pattern and for more children's patterns, please see the database.

 "Moses On Mount Sinai" 
Found on an 8 inch plate, this pattern is part of a series entitled "Scripture Illustrations."  Another item in the series, "The Faith of Abraham,"can be found in the database. The pattern was made by Knight Elkin & Bridgwood (1829-1840).

"Quadrupeds"
The" Quadrupeds" dinner service is quite extensive, with a different animal in the center of each size and shape, as well as in the medallions in the border. This 6 inch plate features a mastiff in the center, with horses, sheep, a water vole (I thought this was a beaver) and a squirrel in the border medallions. For more information about this series, take a look at the database.

Source print: "Mastiff & Lion Dog" The engraving is by J. Tookey, after a drawing by Julius Ibbetson. The engraving is found in "The Cabinet of Quadrupeds" by John Church (c. 1803). The pottery engraver left out the lion dog!

Additional Patterns