Pitcher decorated with transferware pattern
Q. I hope you can give me some information on the pitcher in this photo. I purchased it in Maine in 1973. It stands about 9 inches tall and is decorated with a scene featuring several people in the foreground and tall buildings and trees in the background. The base is octagonal. I also included a photo of the mark, but it is blurry.
What can you tell me about the maker? When was my pitcher made? And what is its value?
A. Your pitcher is an example of blue-and-white Staffordshire earthenware. It is decorated with a transferware scene, and the pattern is "Cologne." The mark you provided is so blurry that I could not make it out. Without a clear trademark, identifying the maker can be problematic. J & G Alcock Co. might have made your pitcher. It was located in Cobridge, Staffordshire, England, from 1839 to 1846. The firm produced blue-and-white earthenware that was decorated with the transferware "Cologne" pattern. To make transferware, prints from original works of art were first engraved in copper, and then color was deposited on the copper. Next, transfer paper was pressed against the copper. The paper was applied to unglazed clay. The final step in the process was glazing and firing. Many of the scenes were inspired by Italy, England and India.
After closely looking at your photo, it appears there are repairs on the handle. Any repair, chip or crack diminishes its value.
Your pitcher was made around 1840. If your pitcher were in mint condition, its value would probably be $75 to $125.
Q. This mark is on the bottom of a tall, slender porcelain pitcher that I have. It has been in our family for generations, possibly before World War I. Even our mother, who is 87, knows nothing about its history. It stands about 14 inches tall and is decorated with red and green grapes and green leaves. There is gold trim on the edge and the scrolled handle. The glaze shade changes from cream to pale green. It is in mint condition.
Who made it? How old is it? And does it have any value?
A. Tall, slender pitchers are called tankard pitchers. Yours was made by Jaeger & Co. The factory was founded in 1898 in Marktredwitz, Germany, and closed in 1986. The mark on your tankard was used around 1902.
Your porcelain tankard would probably be worth $175 to $200.
• Address your questions to Anne McCollam, P.O. Box 247, Notre Dame, IN 46556. Items of a general interest will be answered in this column. Due to the volume of inquiries, she cannot answer individual letters.
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