Representing one of the most collected patterns, this lovely antique
Blue Willow tea bowl and saucer is one of the earlier pieces, with the
Ralph Hammersley Stone Ware mark dating it to somewhere between 1860
and 1883. (The mark on the saucer is not a full stamping, but you'll
find one on the matching plate I have.)
This fabulous transferware
set features the traditional Blue Willow pattern -- three figures on
the arch bridge and one in the boat, two birds, a tea house, willow and
orange trees, and a fence in the foreground -- all done in a rich, deep
blue transfer color.
The saucer measures 6" in diameter, while
the handleless tea bowl/cup stands 2-3/4" high with a rim diameter of
3-1/4". This set is in very good condition. There's one glaze pop on
the saucer, at the left (in the small tree) and a bit of rubbing to the
glaze on the bowl's rim. Other than that, there's just a hint of
crazing on the underside of the saucer, nothing offensive or detracting
from this hard-to-find set.
Gaston's Blue Willow (3d ed., p. 227) lists a similar unsigned handleless
cup, comparable in age and pattern, WITHOUT the saucer/underplate, at a value of $75 to $100. For the Blue Willow collector,
this is a wonderful find!
