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Willow Pattern

The original English rendering of the “willow” pattern was designed and engraved by Thomas Minton for Thomas Turner of Caughley in 1780; and specimens are generally marked with a crescent in blue under glaze filled in, the letter C. in various forms, and the letter S. sometimes associated with a small cross or cross swords. All these are in under-glaze blue, and are very roughly drawn. There are three names associated with this factory namely, “Turner,” who was the maker; “Caughley,” because the original owner of the works lived at Caughley Hall; and “Salopian,” because the town was in the county of Salop.

Both earthenware and porcelain were made by Turner, which the porcelain, have a different rendering of the pattern from that which was first engraved by Minton, and it is well to bear, in mind that the earliest pattern was the one which illustrated the poem and story. For this reason the Caughley - Turner pattern is generally caned “the story” pattern, to distinguish it from other renderings of the “willow” pattern. Thomas Minton was the great-grandfather of the present Thomas Minton, and founder of the Minton factory, where the” willow” pattern has always been, and is still being, made. Copper plates were engraved by Minton and sold to many factories, but there were slight differences in all of them, and this is one of the reasons why a study of this kind of ware is so interesting; the patterns of fences differ, there are more apples in some than in others, and whereas in the original design there were five kinds of trees, on others there are often only three or four.

In addition to the “story” or first pattern there are other ” willow” pattern designs, all Oriental and all equally interesting; some have one man, some two men on the bridge, and all of them have a willow in a prominent position. These patterns, copied from porcelain which was so largely imported from China at that time, were engraved between 1780 and 1790 by Minton and his assistants. One of the first of the designs was the “pagoda,” or second period pattern, made for Josiah Spode, In this design the temple or pagoda is to the left, and on the bridge which connects the gardens with a bank on the right are two men; on the bank to the right may be seen a peach-tree and an apple-tree. Behind the temple is a wall, with trees behind it and between it and the temple. The fence is shorter than the one in the first design, and has what is known as the Swastika fret. A conventional border used with this design is the “butterfly” border. I t seems to have been arranged by first drawing a butterfly as Nature made it, and then, “by the use of petals and fish-roe motifs,” conventionalized. Between the butterflies, and separating them, is the “sceptre,” or “joo-e,” made up of curved lines, which are filled in with trellis pattern. The “lattice” pattern, on the rise of the plate, is also somewhat different from the Caughley design.

A butterfly design which differs slightly from the last is the “curl and butterfly” border, and still another, also engraved by Minton for Spade, is the “dagger” border; this is exactly like a Nankin plate in my possession with little daggers forming a second row round-the rim.

The third “willow” pattern period dates from 1800 - 1830, during which time most English factories, and several Continental ones, made use of it in various forms, and during this time it was not unusual to find specimens marked with the Staffordshire knot, this device being also used on the top of covers in place of, or round, the knob.

Following the prevailing fashion, Wedgwood used the “willow” pattern. Pieces marked “Wedgwood,” and bearing this decoration, are to be met with. The pattern is a faithful copy of the Caughley pattern, except in two particulars-namely, the fret of the fence and the number of apples on the tree, Wedgwood’s plate having thirty-four and the dishes more.

Davenport plates have twenty-five apples, and there is a difference in the “fret” pattern in the rise of the plate.

The Adams plate has thirty-two apples, and on the dishes will be found fifty apples. The edges of plates and dishes are sometimes plain and sometimes indented; the fence is like the Caughley one, but the pattern in the “rise” is squarer than the former. Spade copied the “story” or “Caughley” pattern, in addition to the other designs engraved for him, and on his plate will be found thirty-two apples, the five trees - namely, the willow, peach, plum, fir-and the tree with dark circles; the fence, however, is more intricate. Clews, who also used the pattern, followed the Caughley lines, but there are thirty-four apples on his tree.

There are other renderings of the “willow” pattern, all of them more or less alike, but with slight differences in detail, a study of which will materially add to the collector’s interest in his collection. The Swansea “willow pattern” was transfer - printed in dark and light blue, also in black and brown.

In addition to the larger pieces generally met with, such as dishes, plates, and tea sets, many small and dainty specimens were made, such as leaf dishes with the pattern on the inside, the edges dentated, and the outside veined like a leaf. Soup and sauce ladles, and also pretty little pickle dishes, are still to be picked up at a moderate price.