Collected and Shared

Ironstone seems so elegant to me, yet so very practical in its origins. I think of it as pretty, sturdy, and full of years of good service. It suits painter Jennifer Lanne and she has collected it passionately for years.

It is about her 18th Century home adding a soothing luster and charm. Bowls play host to nests, pitchers stand sentry atop cupboards, and beloved platters and plates are fashioned into wall displays. Vignettes change with the seasons. My current favorites are a dolly crib filled with a stack of luncheon plates, at the ready for a tea party, and a series of dishes topped with nests to welcome spring.

Here she is with her favorite piece. Her beloved collection inspires her work and, it has inspired me to re-decorate! (see previous post on "Platter Serves Up Re-Do") .

Here "A Delicate Situation" showcases a cadre of ironstone milk jugs and pitchers.

Always hungry to feed my curious mind, Jennifer's recent paintings of her collection were just the encouragement I needed to do a bit of on-line research. I knew very little...only that ironstone was made in England and sold to the colonies as an alternative to more fragile china. In a few clicks, I found my way to the wonderful website of the White Ironstone China Association.

There I learned that English potters were working in the late 1700s and early 1800s to to develop this porcelain substitute, and wanted to find something that could be mass produced. The result of their experiments was a dense, durable stoneware that was harder than earthenware and stronger than porcelain. This early work was called by many names...semi-porcelain, opaque porcelain, English porcelain and our chosen moniker, ironstone china.

The initial patent was issued in 1813 and held for fourteen years by inventor Charles James Mason of Staffordshire. By 1827 a number of other potters had already experimented with his formulas. All of these wares were decorated with transfer patterns or fired on, brush-stroke painted designs.

This pitcher is my favorite piece of Jennifer's early transferware...."Worth a Thousand Words"...I do love her playful titles for her original paintings. Now back to that history lesson....

By the 1840's, England began to export undecorated wares to the American and Canadian markets (earlier examples of undecorated ware would have left the factories as "seconds"). The English potters soon discovered that the "Colonies" preferred unfussy, plain and most of all, durable china. My sister Roseanna also has an impressive collection of Ironstone, like those sensible settlers, she prefers the undecorated wares, from this period.

Patterned and decorated wares did arrive on the shores of America.
I learned that in the 1850's-1860's huge quantities of china were sold to the agricultural communities and called "thrashers' ware." These dinner, tea and chamber sets were embossed with wheat, prairie flowers and corn in order to appeal to the farming community. I have been told that these dishes were used to feed those that helped with the harvest.

"Just Desserts" shows a trowel and shovel decoration...an example of this "Thrashers' Ware"...and a favorite motif of Jennifer's for her farm home.

I think I love ironstone even more now that I know a bit more about it...and this piece, "Linen and Lace" captures me.

...and

"Blue Ribbon Eggs" cheers me...as does thinking about Jennifer's collection she has gathered and shared in her new work!

To learn more, please visit the site of the White Ironstone China Association. This avid group of collectors who share their love and knowledge on their shared passion. They are a great resource and can be found at http://www.whiteironstonechina.com/

To see Jenifer's latest collection of paintings honoring her collection, e-mail me.

And to think, the way I've just described ironstone....durable yet beautiful, functional and still shapely...and surely full of years of good service I just might want to be more like it as I approach 40!
xxoo Jen

Earth Angels