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The term willow was used quite a bit to describe many of the copies of the blue and white porcelain imported into England from China during the last half of the eighteenth century.
After the British pottery artists improved their technique to make the blue and white porcelain, the trade with China naturally stopped.
For about a hundred and fifty years, the willow pattern has been the pattern that just about every British pottery manufacturer has used and even though at times its popularity has dipped, it eventually returned to being a favorite among the people and now is again at the center of its popularity.
At that time the craze for collecting souvenirs from the east was at its height and this dainty little design instantly became popular again.
It was copied, with some variations, by other pottery artist and although at first sight all willow patterns look alike, the different makes can be distinguished by various small details, such as the number of apples, the figures on the bridge, and the design of the crooked fence.
All early pottery artist, however, used the same shade of cobalt blue.
We have since had many other shades of lighter and darker tones, even browns or blacks, but the cobalt blue has remained the favorite.

There are very few other makes of china that are more attractive than a really good specimen of the willow pattern, with their exquisite markings and minute detail carefully and accurately copied, but on the other hand, nothing can be more depressing than mass produced imitations.
Thomas Minton was famous for Minton pottery, a cream colored and blue printed earthenware majolica, bone china, and Parian porcelain; his factory was one of the best in the Victorian period for its art porcelains.
He was also responsible for the famous so called Willow pattern.


Engraved by Thomas Minton for Thomas Turner of Caughley, Shropshire, in the year 1780, it was closely followed by Royal Worcester, Spode, Adams, Wedgwood, Davenport, Clews, Leeds and Swansea.

Changes to the Willow Pattern:

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Have you ever come up with a good idea while working with your pottery or ceramics and thought that you would like to share it with others? You have? Well, why not send it to us and we will add it to the tips page for all to see.

There are signs that pottery and ceramics are losing appeal for a younger generation. There are pottery and ceramic departments closing in teaching institutions throughout the country. The common understanding is that younger students are reluctant to commit themselves to the intensive study required to master pottery and ceramics. Why spend three years to learn just one art form when you can pick up PhotoShop in less than a week? Pottery wheels lie idle as students flock to the computer labs. With all the stressful actions in the world today, releasing that stress through pottery and ceramics would be very beneficial to ones well being.