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Blue-and-white porcelain plate, Canton, China, produced 1785-1835 (Photo by Leslie Warwick courtesy the Chipstone Foundation)
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English potter Thomas Turner created the first transferware variation of Canton ware in 1779. (Photo via Wikimedia Commons)
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Americans at the turn of the 19th century considered Canton ware’s centuries-old Chinese landscape scenes exotic and decorative, the height of chic. (Photo courtesy The Porter-Phelps-Huntington Museum)
Collections of porcelain and stoneware have been a constant in homes for centuries.
They’re often passed down from one generation to another, added to by some, with a few pieces lost or broken over the years by others. Each family’s collection is unique and personal, varying in contents, and ever-changing. One of the most recognized porcelain patterns found in American and European homes alike is Canton ware.
Produced a few miles west of its namesake, Canton (now Guangzhou), China, Canton ware is beautifully glazed, durable porcelain that features a classic blue-and-white color scheme with a decorative border encasing traditional landscapes dotted with tea houses and trees. This design became wildly popular as the Western world’s infatuation with the “exotic” East reached its height in the late 18th century. Not only was the pattern in vogue, it was much cheaper to produce and acquire than hand-painted European porcelain while also proving much more durable.
Consequently, European merchants began exporting Canton ware en masse to Western countries in the 1750s. (A fun fact: Due to its strong nature, crates of Canton ware were often used as ballast on the very ships that transported them, stabilizing the vessels while serving as a platform to keep more precious items out of harm’s way.) By the 1790s, America was the largest importer of Chinese porcelain, which the middle class had adopted as a status symbol. George and Martha Washington owned several pieces of Canton china that can still be viewed at Mount Vernon today.
Adoration was so widespread that in 1779 an English transferware producer named Thomas Turner decided to mimic its style in one of his own designs called Blue Willow. Turner was clearly ahead of the curve, as the lower price points of transferware propelled its demand far beyond that of Canton ware. Amid transferware’s rise, the accessibility to Canton ware became scarce to none as trade relations with China ceased during the Opium Wars. By the time trade resumed in 1860, the fervor for Canton ware had waned, though it was already firmly entrenched in the collections of many American and European families, where it has remained ever since.
The elegantly simple design and enduring quality of Canton ware made it an iconic example of serveware that has withstood the test of time. For those looking to expand their collections or replace lost pieces, one can find antique, vintage and reproduction Canton ware at local antique and vintage shops, or online at Chairish, eBay, Replacements or Etsy.
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Photo courtesy Mottahedeh
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Photo courtesy Dana Gibson
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Photo courtesy Ginori 1735
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Photo courtesy Ginori 1735
Mottahedeh Blue Canton
Encapsulating the original essence of Canton ware, Mottahedeh has created a perfect reproduction that would feel right at home alongside its antique counterparts. Made under license of the Historic Charleston Foundation for more than 40 years. Available through Hampton House, hamptonhousegifts.com, 308 Libbie Ave.
Dana Gibson Canton in Blue
Dana Gibson has created a new style of Canton by combining elements from the original pattern such as the color scheme and imagery depicted with her unique perspective, manipulating color and negative space to give the design new life. danagibson.com
Ginori 1735
A fresh take on the idea of Canton, Ginori 1735’s Oriente Italiano collection started with a similar pattern of a quaint garden surrounded by a delicate border of blossoms and infused it with bright, modern shades of pinks, purples and greens that will stand out on any dinner table. Available through Fraîche Home, fraichehome.com, 5805 Grove Ave.
