Posted 11 years ago
mikelv85
(1232 items)
Found this "Flow Blue" bowl at our local GW this afternoon. It even has the remains of an antique store price tag. It measures 6" in diameter. It's stamped with Holland "Crown Mark" Johnson Bros-England". The soft blurry (flow) blue "Holland" pattern is almost the same pattern as Meissen's "Blue Onion". Some minor nicks to the back edge but nothing serious. This piece dates from 1900-1905. -Mike-
Johnson Brother History
Courtesy of Etsy
In 1883 two brothers, Alfred and Frederick Johnson, purchased a defunct pottery known as Charles Street Works in Hanley, England. By the end of the 1890's Johnson Bros was one of the largest earthenware manufactures in the world. The "Holland" Flow Blue China pattern, circa 1900-1905, is almost an exact match to the blue onion pattern produced by Meissen and other companies during the same period. They have an embossed scallop around the rim.
Blue and white is always a perennial favourite. Johnson Bothers are also best known for their version of Willow pattern of which I inherited from my family as one of my dinner set collections. Whilst most Stoke potters did a version of Willow Johnson is the best..and the pattern and all Johnson patterns are now owned by Wedgwood...
If you've ever renovated a bathroom chances are you've either ripped out or put up a Johnson tile. Renowned for their standard ranges of 4x4 tiles in white they probably are one of the most purchased china produces in the world of the 20th century...
Royal Doulton produced a similar pattern around the same time as your Mike...I'll take some photos of the items I have to show you the similarities. there's I think was called Insect.
The reason Johnson and others used this format of blurring the blue was to make it look more authentically Chinese. They made the effect by adding lime in to the firing process. If you add salt you get stunning glazes like flambé but lime blurs. I think the blue ware is called flow ware or flow blue....a lot of this ware was made for the USA market as they delighted in showing this ware on their Edwardian dressers...you should be able to pick up matching items, a trio. This plate is more likely to be the afternoon plate for cakes although dinner sets were produced too. Holland being the pattern name because Delph ware was back in fashion again.
A lovely pattern Mike. Hope you find many pieces to grow your collection...
Brothers not bothers...this site has an awesome spell check!
Thanks Anne for all the great info. I have a blue 8" soup bowl that I think is English "Ansley" not sure of the spelling. Had it forever. It's a bit chipped up around the edges. My brother knocked it off the wall ages ago coming down the stairs when we were teenagers. I also found a small "blue willow" bowl while putting in the garden at our old house when I was still in high school. It was broken in 5 pieces which I glued together. There was probably a "garbage pit" behind our house at one time. I felt like an archeologist ...lol. I carried them with me everywhere over the years. Worthless, but that was the start of my collecting obsession. -Mike-
collecting is sentimental, I think we all carry pieces of china in our hearts along lifes journey..it's not about the value its about what the items mean to us to bring the memories flooding back...it makes me laugh in here when I see some arguing over who made something, maybe because they will it to be a particular maker because it adds more monetary value..who knows....I think your story is beautiful...
And your piece is Aynsley. I have some of their hand painted items similar to Royal Worcesters fruit scene
apologies, you plate is a bowl, of course, not a plate, I had only looked at the first photo in detail...
http://www.collectorsweekly.com/stories/119396-1891-1902-doulton-insect-plate-for-mikel?in=user
i posted this to show you
similar but different but reminded me of mine