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Flow Blue Flowing Blue was first made in Staffordshire England about 1825.
While cobalt blue underglaze could withstand the heat of the kilns, many glazes containing lead oxide provided characteristic flow blue wares its characteristic depth of color and brilliance.
The stone china base of Flowing, Flow, or Flown Blue differed from the soft-based pottery base lighter-toned china. The flowing color was produced by the reaction of volatile chlorides upon ceramic colors. The colors and designs are applied to the pottery surface are exposed to a
chlorinated atmosphere in the kiln and the vapors cause the color to spread and blur--thus flow blue.
The design motifs and decoration found on various Flowing Blue patterns are inspired by oriental, Asian imagery, and Chinese designs or chinoiserie. By 1800, European subjects began to appear mixed with the Asian elements. The 1815 trade boom that resulted after the end of the Napoleonic Wars saw a new found popularity for European subjects on flow blue pieces. Views were taken from the popular books and topographical prints in the vedute or vista style of landscape imagery.
The value of a piece of flow blue is typically determined by experts by the depth of its color and the way the color spreads across the piece. Cobalt oxide is used for blue while and nickel oxide produces the brown color variation. Most collectors are purists and regard the blue color as more highly sought after than other color
variations.
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Dr. Lori
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