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steamboat pattern Posted by Greg Cook on February 20, 2009, 5:22 pm 143.88.93.241 Hello everyone-- I am trying to find information on this transferware sherd that I found on a shipwreck off of Ghana, West Africa, that I am researching for my dissertation. The most striking feature of the pattern is what appears to be a sidewheel steamboat with auxiliary masts. I believe the wreck dates to the early to mid nineteenth century, and am hoping to find out more about this pattern. http://www.uwf.edu/gcook1/steam1.jpg http://www.uwf.edu/gcook1/steam2.jpg Thanks in advance, -Greg  Post a Response

Canova pattern (?) Posted by Len Kling on February 27, 2009, 7:27 am, in reply to "steamboat pattern" 205.188.116.78 Hi Greg. The shard showing the couple in a landscape looks like Canova, by Thomas Mayer. If you can find a copy of Romantic Staffordshire by Jeffrey Snyder, you'll find pieces on pp.124-125 that look a lot like this. However there are some differences in the engraved details, and I've never seen a picture of a steamboat in the Canova border, only a small vessel with its sail furled. What seems likely is that this is a version of the pattern by another unknown maker - Staffordshire potters were always copying each other. The Mayer pattern dates to the 1830s and I'd guess this has a similar date. Hope this helps. Len  Post a Response

Re: Canova pattern (?) Posted by Greg Cook on February 27, 2009, 9:24 am, in reply to "Canova pattern (?)" 143.88.93.241 Thanks Len-- the date is right on target for when we think the ship sank off of Elmina, Ghana. I will definitely look into it. What do you make of the apparent disjuncture in the transfer on the inside of the bowl, where the maker apparently tried to match the floral design with the steamship pattern? The rope and the triangles sort of match up, but the line running under the steamship is not present under the floral portion. Is this just slipshod work, or is something else going on here? Much appreciated, -Greg  Post a Response

Re: Canova pattern (?) Posted by Len Kling on February 28, 2009, 11:45 am, in reply to "Re: Canova pattern (?)" 205.188.116.78 Hi Greg. I think it's probably just slipshod or inexperienced work. You can imagine how difficult it would be to fit a paper transfer onto the curved interior of a bowl. Sometimes the transfers were clipped and made to fit but as to whether two different transfers were made to fit together - it's possible, but doubtful. There are certainly other club members who know more about that whole process than I do. The club is always interested in stories about transferware found in archaeological digs or on shipwrecks, as in your case. It would be fascinating to hear anything you find out about the wreck. Thanks for sharing your information with us! Len  Post a Response

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