Vintage Ridgway Staffordshire Ironstone "Meadow Sweet" Bowls - Set of 3

Ridgway Ironstone "Meadow Sweet" Bowls Set of 3 6.5" diameter Collectors Vintage Excellent condition No chips or cracks EST 1792 What is Ironstone... Sometimes known as “the little black dress” of pottery, white ironstone mixes beautifully with antique, traditional, farmhouse, French country, or contemporary interiors. Ironstone pieces are survivors; their resilience tells their story, and minor discoloration only seems to add to their patina and beauty. Ironstone is not porcelain; it’s porous earthenware, made of clay mixed with feldspar. Patented in 1813 by Charles James Mason in Staffordshire, England, it was an immediate success, and ironstone blanks were decorated with transfer patterns or hand painting to imitate Chinese porcelain. There is no iron in ironstone. Many believe Mason used this name to imply that iron and china created a durable and almost indestructible pottery. Many Staffordshire potteries had similar products known by a variety of names: English porcelain, semi porcelain, new stone and stone china. Mason’s patent lapsed in 1827, and other Staffordshire factories adopted the name ironstone.