What if we told you that some of America's most patriotic china patterns—including plates depicting George Washington, Revolutionary War battles, and historic landmarks—were actually made in England? It's true.
In fact, for more than two centuries English potteries have been producing transferware celebrating American history, and Americans have been enthusiastically collecting it.
The story is equal parts history and clever marketing, with a side of irony.
First, What Is Transferware?
Transferware refers to a decorating process developed in England in the late 1700s in which patterns and designs were inked onto paper and then transferred onto pottery. At the time, the technique was revolutionary: previously, decorative china had to be individually hand-painted by an artist, making beautifully decorated dishes expensive and largely reserved for the wealthy.
Transferware changed that. By printing designs onto sturdy materials like earthenware and ironstone, manufacturers could produce decorated dinnerware much faster and far less expensively. Historians often credit transferware with helping to democratize fine dinnerware, bringing beautifully patterned dishes from the tables of the elite into the homes of an emerging middle class.
Learn more in our blog post about blue and white transferware china.
Staffordshire Finds an American Market
The heart of England's pottery industry was Staffordshire, a region that became famous for producing transferware in enormous quantities during the early 19th century. American consumers quickly became an important market.
The newly formed United States was eager for decorative goods that reflected its growing sense of national identity, and Staffordshire potteries were more than happy to oblige. Manufacturers began producing patterns featuring American cities, monuments, landscapes, presidents, and scenes from the Revolutionary War.
They understood something that still rings true today: people love objects that tell their story.
The Country That Lost the War Made the Commemorative Plates
This is our favorite part of the story. By the early 1800s, English potteries were producing transferware depicting American battle victories, founding figures, emerging cities and patriotic landmarks. That is, the country that lost the war ended up making the commemorative plates.
And the potteries of Staffordshire didn't mind one bit. Americans absolutely ate it up! These patriotic patterns became wildly popular in the United States and created a tremendous economic opportunity for the Staffordshire pottery industry. So while the imagery celebrated American victory, the manufacturing success story was very much English.
Liberty Blue and the Bicentennial Revival
One of the best-known examples of this phenomenon arrived much later. The Liberty Blue collection, produced by Enoch Wedgwood in Staffordshire, England, was introduced in the mid-1970s around the time of the U.S. Bicentennial. Featuring scenes such as George Washington crossing the Delaware, Betsy Ross sewing the American flag, and Independence Hall, the collection felt deeply American.
Originally offered as a promotional gift through a San Francisco bank, Liberty Blue became so popular that supermarket chains later adopted similar promotions, allowing customers to collect pieces over time.
Why We Still Love These Patterns Today
At The Brooklyn Teacup, we love historical transferware because every plate tells a story. A scene from Independence Hall, a view of the Brooklyn Bridge, a pastoral landscape—each pattern becomes a small piece of visual storytelling that sparks curiosity and conversation.
And because these patriotic pieces are typically blue and white, they mix beautifully with other blue and white transferware patterns, from floral designs and chinoiserie to Nordic-inspired and Blue Onion patterns. They're timeless, endlessly collectible, and somehow manage to feel both historic and remarkably fresh.
Love Liberty Blue or Other Classic Blue and White China Patterns?
Explore our ever-changing collection of vintage blue and white china, including patterns in the Liberty Blue China collection, using our virtual customizer tool.
Whether you're designing a three-tiered tray, creating a one-of-a-kind plate wall, or curating a personalized dinner plate set, you'll have the opportunity to incorporate pieces rich with history, craftsmanship, and character. After all, transferware was created to make beautiful dinnerware accessible in everyday life. Centuries later, these pieces still have stories to tell—and we think that's a pretty good reason to keep using them.
References:
- https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/6221
- https://americanhistoricalstaffordshire.com/history
- https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/roadshow/appraisals/staffordshire-historical-plate/
