Light Blue and White Mudlarked Sherd Pendant

Historical Information

Type: Blue and White Transferware

Fabric: Earthenware

Date: 1800's

Find Location: Colchester, Essex, UK

Extra information:

Blue and white transferware is a type of decorated pottery that gained widespread popularity in the 18th and 19th centuries, particularly in England. Using a method called transfer printing, intricate designs—often featuring floral motifs, pastoral scenes, or oriental landscapes—were applied to ceramic surfaces using engraved copper plates and tissue paper. The most iconic examples feature rich cobalt blue patterns on white earthenware or porcelain.

Transferware was developed in England around the 1750s, with Staffordshire potters such as John Sadler and Guy Green credited for refining the technique. It revolutionised ceramic decoration by allowing potters to produce detailed, consistent designs at scale—making attractive, patterned wares more affordable to the growing middle class. Blue remained the most popular colour due to the reliability of cobalt oxide during high-temperature firing. Over time, other colours like brown, green, and mulberry were introduced, and the technique spread across Europe and America.