Tuesday, December 12, 2017

Vintage Finds: Johnson Brothers Plates and a Chinoiserie Figurine

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As the temperatures dip below freezing here in the Willamette Valley of Oregon, we've consigned ourselves to the inescapable reality of wool sweaters and hot cups of tea. Yes indeed, the weather has definitely taken its inevitable turn towards winter.

Just yesterday James and I were pondering what our chances are of seeing snow again this season and reminiscing on our unfortunate series of events last December.

An unusually large accumulation of heavy wet snow weighed down and broke the power lines in various parts of town, including in our neighborhood. There were many of us without electricity for three days. The temperatures hovered in the teens and twenties. We shivered our way through the long hours with candlelight, down comforters and wool blankets, and used our camping stove to cook our food and heat water.

In other words, it wasn't anything like the calm, untroubled scenes pictured in the pair of Johnson Brothers 'The Friendly Village' transfer ware plates I'm featuring today.

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'The Schoolhouse' 10" Dinner Plate

In 1883 brothers Alfred and Frederik Johnson founded the Johnson Brothers pottery at the Charles Street Works, located in the Stoke-on-Trent district, United Kingdom. The brothers manufactured earthenware, which they called White Granite. Over time Alfred and Frederik were joined by two more brothers, Henry and Robert.

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By 1888 the Johnson Brothers potteries were producing their now famous colorful and charming under-glaze printed ware, or transfer ware.

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'Sugar Maples' 6" Plate
To create transfer ware a master artisan engraves a pattern into a flat copper plate. Ink is then applied to the copper plate and the carved design is impressed onto a thin sheet of tissue paper. The design on the tissue paper is then applied, or transferred, onto the surface of a ceramic object such as a plate, bowl or teacup. The object is then ready for a low temperature firing in a kiln.

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I have been enamored with transfer ware for a couple of years now and am slowly building a collection. Of course I have been anxious to share this particular find, but I thought it would be fun to wait until winter when those of us in the Northern Hemisphere are bundling up and looking out our own windows at the winter landscapes of the towns, cities or countrysides in which we live.

Similar to my fascination with transfer ware is my interest in all things chinoiserie. I love chinoiserie style because it can be timeless, classy and ultra chic, while at the same time playful and kitschy. Figurines such as the boy shown here have become a quintessentially familiar part of the style. Knowing that statues such as this one came in pairs, my only regret on this particular thrift shopping adventure is that I was only able to find the one piece. After I placed it in my basket I wasted a lot of time searching throughout the store for the other one.

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At 8" tall, he is a dynamic looking fellow in a flowing white tunic and pants, a cute matching cap on his head. The tunic, accessorized with high collar, epaulettes and toggle button enclosures are a classic 1950s green, embellished with gold. He's gracefully poised within a moment in time, as if stopped for a quick pose before rushing off to an important social engagement or celebration, ginger jar in hand.

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This happy chinoiserie style figurine will definitely be making various appearances around my house.

I am definitely now on the lookout for more vintage chinoiserie home decor pieces, especially since I discovered that vintage English transfer ware and vintage asian or chinoiserie style decorative items are quite pleasing when styled together.

Thank you for reading! I hope you have a wonderful December and a happy holiday season.


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