Revived from our archive and reigniting the spark of an ancient love story; in the 18th Century the British Isles had developed a thirst not just for the wonderful tea exported from the far east, but also the beautiful hand painted blue & white tea wares to drink from and so Blue Willow Crockery was born.
What Is Blue Willow Pattern?
The Blue Willow Story
The myth tells a story of 'Tso Ling, a wealthy merchant and all was well in his world until his beautiful daughter Kwang-se fell in love with a handsome, but poor, clerk called Chang. Tso Ling had already promised his daughters hand in marriage to a wealthy associate, so he was filled with fury when he heard of the secret romance. The young couple fled to an island, pursued by Tso Ling and his men. He wished to kill them both, however the gods interceded and turned Kwang-se and Chang into turtle doves, so they lived and loved freely in the sky. This story was a work of fiction by Staffordshire potters, in essence loosely based on Chinese and Japanese fables, but embellished to aid sales in the Staffordshire potteries. Some companies use different names and such like, however the star-crossed lovers theme remains. Since the emergence of the patterns a whole world of experts and collectors have fallen in love with this category of pottery.
How Old Is The Blue Willow Pattern?
The true inventor of Willow is hotly debated, however what is true is that Burleigh designed and continue to make a truly beautiful and highly regarded version officially launched in 1924. 'Dilwyn' Willow as it is officially known has remained a popular choice from that day. We continue to use the underglaze transfer technique that was such a key part of the Willow story. Whilst others may still produce a version, only Burleigh Willow is decorated in this method, which gives a superior and durable finish; handcrafted at our home of Middleport Pottery.
Blue Willow Variety
If you look carefully around the edge of a Burleigh Willow plate, you should spot a unique feature that sets our design apart. Each factory that produces Willow blue and white china tends to have a different design, ours incorporates a bold repeat of a dragon’s face. So next time you are looking at different versions of this pattern and are not sure who made which, look for the face, and if you see one staring back, it was made right here at Middleport pottery, home of Burleigh.
Browse the collection of Blue Willow, printed in a mid-shade of blue and available to purchase now. Handcrafted and decorated in the heart of the Potteries.
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