I have been collecting British transfer-printed ceramics for 40 years. While all ceramic designs interest me, I chose to focus on patterns after the Chinese, often referred to as Chinoiserie. This collection includes a wide variety of items made in different shapes and sizes and printed in one or more colors, or printed and painted in several colors. Most items were made to service the needs of 18th and 19th century households, whether for practical daily use or for decorative purposes.
In 2018, I co-authored with Dr. Richard Halliday, Chinoiserie: Printed British Ceramics in the Chinese Style, 1750-1900. This 416-page hardcover book reviews the evolution of the Chinoiserie style in British ceramics and includes 1,450 color images illustrating the important role the style played in Great Britain’s ceramic industry. One full chapter is dedicated to development of copper-plate engraving and its key role in the evolution of transfer-printed designs. This book includes a well-organized and illustrated catalogue of over 340 pages containing a detailed discussion of patterns in a wide range of colors and shapes. The items featured were carefully selected from private and museum collections and are representative of many aspects of material culture in the late 18th through the 19th centuries. An important addition to the book is a review of over 60 original Chinese export porcelain designs that were creatively adapted by the British ceramic factories. Many of the items in my collection are included. You can purchase this book at https://chinoiseriebook.com/
The majority of the items in my collection have now been sold either through this website or at auction with Skinners-Bohnams Boston. I maintain this website as an inventory of the original collection and items that I have retained as well as for the benefit of collectors interested in viewing it.