During the discussion of Kent's "polychrome" transferprint, and
whether it was "really" polychrome or whether it was a monochrome
print with hand-applied color, I sent a private e-mail to Pat Samford.
As is not uncommon, I made the blanket statement that other than
bichromes, which we see here in the midwest pretty commonly in the
ca. 1830/50 period, there was no such thing as prints with more than
two colors.
Well, Pat proved me wrong and I am humbled ... She sent me a very
nice photo of a printed plate in four colors: black, pale blue, pink
and green, and added the following comments (with her permission):
"This is not true - multicolored transfer prints appeared around 1840
- as cited in Majewski and O'Brien - The use and misuse of ceramics
in archaeological analysis - Advances in Archaeological Method and
Theory Volume 11, page 143. They cite Geoffrey Godden British
Pottery and Porcelain 1963 as their source. We also have numerous
examples of multi-colored printed earthenwares in our lab. See
attached file. Since this process did not begin until around 1840
and the only referenced maker of this Harvest Home pattern is Clews,
who ceased production in 1834, it is likely that the sherd Kent has
may be clobbered. Again, without a photo, it is difficult to say for
sure. Since potters purchased engraving plates from defunct
businesses, it is possible that it was made by someone else after
Clews went out of business.
The reference to Harvest Home is from Coysh and Henrywood Dictionary
of Blue and White Printed Pottery, volume 1, 1982:171 and also from
Petra Williams and Marguerite Weber Staffordshire II Romantic
Transfer Patterns 1986. P 643."
I will try to find a way to post the ceramic photo in the next few
days. Although I have been proven wrong (again), I have to believe
that these were quite expensive in their day, and certainly have to
be relatively rare.
Thanks, Mark
--
Mark C. Branstner, RPA
Historic Archaeologist
Illinois Transportation
Archaeological Research Program
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
209 Nuclear Physics Lab, MC-571
23 East Stadium Drive
Champaign, IL 61820
Phone: 217.244.0892
Fax: 217.244.7458
Cell: 517.927.4556
[log in to unmask]
"I hope there's pudding" - Luna Lovegood (HP5)
"If you only have a hammer, every problem looks like a nail"- Anonymous
|