I've been trying to figure out the significance of the elm-like (as described by Petra Williams for some patterns) that is included in a number of mid 19th century transferware patterns. The use of an elm tree appears around 1844 ("Aleppo" by Clementson, Young, Jameson) as far as I can tell through at least 1856 ("Dora" by Challinor). The tree is even prominently included in patterns (albeit somewhat fictitious) where it is clearly out of place with the location of the named pattern - "Siam" by Clementson (1850), "Palestine" by Ridgway, etc. Is there any significance why so many patterns (I have about 30 examples) by many different potters registered from the mid 1840s to the mid 1850s used the same type of tree, in this case an elm, as opposed to others such as an oak, etc?
Thanks,
Tim
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