The term Staffordshire Blue is a very misleading one as many other colors of wares were also created at the Staffordshire pottery works. Staffordshire Blue and White transfer ware has always been popular. This famous style of work featured the popular Willow pattern as well as other pieces with similar oriental and historical scenes on them.
These initial designs were very naive and spoke of how little was actually known about the world outside the civilized countries such as America and England. Around the turn of the 19th century, these designs began to incorporate more European elements as well.
Many middle-class families during the early part of the 19th century were able to afford to have excellent quality Staffordshire transfer ware in their homes due to the production methods employed at the time. The blue cobalt glaze was one of the only under glazes that could withstand the heat of the ceramic kilns and this was the main reason that most of the work was created in this beautifully deep color. This was one of the reasons that the Staffordshire pieces were so popular.
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Some of the scenes on the pieces were taken from popular books of English prints featuring scenes from Italy, India and other foreign countries. Staffordshire had a great deal of success with these printed wares, especially in the export market. The pieces are still very sought after by many collectors today.
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