Red Transferware ring

This ring is adjustable and made from gold stainless steel

Historical Information

Type: Transferware Flowers

Fabric: Earthenware

Date: 19th Century

Find Location: The Thames Estuary, UK

Extra information:

Transferware is the name given to pottery that has been decorated with a pattern by transferring a print from a copper plate to a specially sized paper before being applied to the pottery body. Although it was originally produced on earthenware, transfer prints can also be found on porcelain, ironstone, and bone china. Millions of pieces were decorated with thousands of patterns using this process. The technique was developed in the late 18th century to provide the emerging British middle class with more affordable tableware. While several factories claim credit for the creation of the process, it was likely a combination of individuals, materials, and innovation that came together in Staffordshire, England, where pottery making had been established since the 16th century. The success of transferware production was made possible and profitable due to the availability of raw materials, scientific pioneers like Spode and Wedgwood, inexpensive labor, and new canals that connected Staffordshire to major shipping ports like Liverpool and London.