The clean, sleek, flat base, tapering cylinder shape of this milk jug reflects its later A...

The clean, sleek, flat base, tapering cylinder shape of this milk jug reflects its later Ashworth period of manufacture in the Mason's ironstone history. Ashworth uses a generous size version of their "Jardiniere" transfer to decorate this piece, practically filling each side of the pitcher. The color palette starts with Mason's traditional light blue transfer followed by red and orange enamels to complete the hand painted portion of the pattern.

Ashworth period hand decoration is applied a bit more carefully than earlier Masons periods. The orange "ground" at the base of the design is especially typical of this later period, carefully, evenly applied to each side. Still, the red painted decorations of the floral design and border reflect the idiosyncracies of hand decoration found throughout Mason's Japan patterns. The piece is finished off with a pinstripe of gilt around the rim.

Mason's "Jardinere" pattern is one of a class of patterns referred to as "Japan" patterns.

Mason's "Jardinere" pattern is one of a class of patterns referred to as "Japan" patterns. To the novice this can be somewhat confusing as one of the patterns of this class is called "Japan" These patterns all share a common color palette based on light (and sometimes cobalt) blue transfer with red and orange enamel highlighting and sometimes ochre lustre and/or gilt enhancements. Adding to the confusion, there are two or three additional patterns frequently encountered which have no official name and are just referred to as "Japan patterns."