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 Blue patterned ceramics have collectors going with the flow Collecting Flow Blue can be one big blur. Well, at least that’s how the tony china can be characterized — by its blue color that bleeds or “blurs” into the undecorated areas. “What might appear to be a smudgy mistake on this transferware is actually the mark of classic and highly collectible Flow Blue,” said Vanessa Orr, a contributor to Antique Trader magazine. Josiah Wedgwood first developed Flow Blue in Staffordshire, England, in the 1820s. At the time, British potters were trying to copy the Chinese porcelain so popular with the English upper class. Early Flow Blue was made of stoneware, though the patterns were later added to porcelain and semi-porcelain pieces. The name Flow Blue, or Flowing Blue, comes from the process used to decorate the pieces. Using lime of chloride or ammonia, potters bled a cobalt transfer-printed design onto a piece. Occasionally, the design would blur or bleed into the white areas. The design, which originally appeared brown, would turn blue during firing. Some pieces were hand-painted. Surprisingly, while some patterns are more rare, they are not always worth more to collectors. “The very rare pieces in common patterns are actually the ones that command the highest prices, because those patterns attract the most collectors,” said antique dealer and collector George Wells, co-chair of the club’s education committee, who has more than 1,000 pieces in his collection. “Someone looking for a rare piece in a hard-to-find pattern may find that there is not the same demand in the marketplace,” he added. Among the most popular Flow Blue patterns are Scinde, manufactured by Samuel Alcock between 1840-70, and Touraine, which Alcock began producing in 1898. Stanley Pottery bought the Touraine pattern in the 1930s. “Both of these patterns are very popular, and there is an enormous amount out there,” said Wells. “It is very attractive and very reasonable, though of course, there are rare pieces as well. A soup tureen in the Scinde pattern will sell for between $6,000 to $8,000 because they made very few.” A mint-condition cup and saucer in the Scinde pattern is valued at $250 in the book Antique Trader Pottery & Porcelain Ceramics Price Guide. A Scinde plate can command $160. Marguerite is a less pricey pattern for collectors to pursue. The 7-inch plate commands $60 in mint condition, and the sauce dish is valued at $55. The earliest Flow Blue patterns were based on Oriental designs, though floral and scenic designs gained popularity in later years. In addition to tableware, the Flow Blue design was also transferred to miniatures and children’s dishes as well as art and decorative items. While Flow Blue fans may all seek the same brand of china, each collection is as unique and individual as the person whose passion it reflects. “Within the [Flow Blue International Collectors’ Club (FBICC)], there are people who collect the early Victorian Flow Blue, the turn-of-the-century Ironstone, the porcelain or pieces made by specific manufacturers,” said antique dealer and collector George Wells, co-chair of the club’s education committee. “A number of people collect only one pattern, and others collect different patterns or pieces from specific time periods. Any line of demarcation, and you can bet it will be sufficient enough for someone to stake out a collecting territory,” Wells said. More than 1,500 different patterns were manufactured during the peak years of Flow Blue production — the mid-1800s and early 1900s. This range of patterns and the materials used to manufacture Flow Blue through the years offer collectors a pantheon of possibilities. “It’s a fun and relaxing hobby,” Louise Mason, president of the FBICC, said. “I think people collect Flow Blue mainly for aesthetic reasons. It is an investment, but even more, it’s a pleasure.” For more information on the Flow Blue International Collectors’ Club, visit http://www.flowblue.org/ on the Internet.  Copyright 2001 by Krause Publications. For a free catalog of Krause Publications books or periodicals on collectibles, write Public Relations, Dept. IC, Krause Publications, 700 E. State St., Iola, WI 54990-0001, or visit www.collect.com on the worldwide web, or e-mail info@krause.com. 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