Ridgways Polychrome Blue Transferware Tablescape

My table tonight features a pattern by Ridgway called Plymouth.  It's a cheery blue transfer with a colorful floral bouquet.

As you all know, I love to layer things so I first covered the table with two red floral drapery panels to create a large covering.  Over that I added a vintage Portuguese tablecloth with cross stitch flowers that tie in with the dishes.  

  

I like layering napkins to...vintage with new.  The white lace were my Mom's and the blue are new.   The floral  napkin rings are made of fabric. 

The blue goblets are Fostoria. Shawn's Mom gave us a set of these about 20 years ago.  The clear bubble glass tumblers are new.  You can buy them 12 to a box at Walmart for about $9.  I like the old fashioned look.

I like the brown version of this pattern equally to the blue.  I haven't listed the blue set to my shop yet, but will soon.  I do have some of the brown plates shown below in my English Transferware shop.

Even if it's only one or two, I love candles at the table. 

Ridgway Potteries Ltd, was founded sometime around 1744.  Sometimes called the Grandfather of the Potteries, the Ridgway family can be traced to the earliest days of the Staffordshire potteries, along with such famous names as Wedgwood, Spode and Adams.  

Under the managment of one family member, John Ridgway, the Ridgway potters were appointed as Potter to Her Majesty Queen Victoria.  This was the highest acclaim for any English pottery firm.

One of the family members, William Ridgway,  operated the Bell Works in Shelton and the Church Works in nearby Hanley from 1830-54.  The Bell Works Pottery at Bethesda Street  has been The Potteries Musuem since 1956 and houses the largest and most important collection of North Staffordshire pottery in the world.

Below is an old photo of some 19th Century bottle kilns at Ridgways factory in Shelton. These were some of the largest kilns in the area.  They were used as air raid shelters during WWII and seems shameful that they were demolished in the 1960's.

photo:  Tideswellman

 

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