ROANOKE TIMES 
                      Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times

DATE: Sunday, February 11, 1996              TAG: 9602150010
SECTION: HOMES                    PAGE: D-1  EDITION: METRO 
COLUMN: Antiques & Designs
SOURCE: KATHY SUE GRIGGS

POPULAR PIECES BLUE WILLOW CHINA HAS BEEN A FAVORITE FOR CENTURIES

The best-known china pattern, Blue Willow, did not originate in China at all.

This blue and white ceramic ware was designed for Caughley, a manufacturer in Shropshire, England, by Thomas Minton around 1780. Many other English factories copied the pattern, including Spode, Wedgwood and Davenport in Staffordshire.

Strangely enough, it was even adopted by the Chinese (although hand painted) and then exported to Europe.

You're probably aware that the design varies, but it always includes a willow tree, a temple, figures crossing a bridge and two love birds representing a pair of lovers. The color also varies. One of the oldest version of the pattern is a periwinkle blue. Later versions, such as the one pictured, came in a deep blue.

As the pattern evolved during the 19th century, more and more objects were added, and the pattern became increasingly crowded.

The willow pattern is still being made today in mass quantities. The colors aren't quite the same, however. The modern version is a much lighter blue that doesn't have nearly the density of the antique version. The white in the pattern is a chalk color, unlike the milk white of the older version.

The new Blue Willow isn't hard to find and is inexpensive. I even found some pieces in a grocery store in South Carolina where it was being sold in a promotion to get shoppers to spend money on groceries.

These pieces are good as fill-ins for plates, cups, etc., that might be missing from a collection of older pieces.

Because they have become highly collectible, the older pieces are not that easy to find in good shape or at a good price. Depending on the pattern and the color, a plate could fetch anywhere from $12 to $32.

If you're really lucky, you might occasionally find a piece or pieces at a flea market or a yard sale. I saw it once at a Goodwill Store.

LENGTH: Short :   48 lines
ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO:  Don Petersen. 1.- 3. Blue Willow pieces shown here were 
          made in Japan, probably between 1920 and 1930. Regardless of where 
          pieces are made the design always includes a willow tree, a temple, 
          figures crossing a bridge and two love birds. color.