Margie’s log for September 2009:
What a wonderful, busy summer we’ve had! In early June, Kent and I hosted the very first Transferware Collectors’ Club Regional Meeting! Thirty-one people came from all around the country − and we were fortunate to have Dick and Melanie Henrywood fly all the way from England to visit us! Everything about the weekend was perfect but, without doubt, the most outstanding feature for me was spending precious moments with other transferware collectors. Being with folks that “speak transferware” is decidedly a treat!
In my last posting, I said that the book, The Charm of English Pink: the Pots would be available for shipping “mid June.” That wasn’t even close to accurate! The ten books the printer managed to send me went to fill only the very most-critical needs and didn’t begin to answer the bulging file of other requests! A more-complete shipment is due this week. The book is already listed on Amazon.com and, pending arrival from the printer, will be available from us here next week.
The latest volume of the Charm of English Pink series, the Pott’ries, is almost ready for the printer. Although significantly smaller than the 414-page Pots book, this little 75-page text is filled with not only an exploration of the 19th-century pottery towns but also several tidbits of great interest to transferware lovers everywhere. I’ve so enjoyed the Staffordshire District these past months and am exceedingly pleased with the final text. I can’t wait until you have a read! The Charm of English Pink: the Pott’ries should be available very soon.
Just think! I’ve finished the little text within my deadline! I’ve impressed myself! Now on to the Potters...
Don’t forget the soon-to-be-added articles on Children’s Pink, 20th-Century Pink and Aesthetic Movement wares... plus a peek into transferware shards in California’s Mother Lode. There is simply no end to the English transferware story!
Happy Fall, everyone!
Margie’s log for April/May 2009:
The Charm of English Pink: The Pots is finally finished! To me, the book seems absolutely HUGE, 414 pages, and it did indeed take forever! Since I last wrote a “monthly” log, there have been some changes. (Now, why don’t I think that’s a surprise?) Following the advice of author and friend Dick Henrywood, once again I divided the work, giving each of the three original book sections, Pots, Pott’ries and Potters, a separate text. Convincing me that I needed more frequent “signs of completion,” Dick thoroughly supported my decision. He was indeed correct!
Upon completion, there will be five volumes in the English Pink series!
American Historic English Pink
Collecting English Pink
The Charm of English Pink: Pots
The Charm of English Pink: Pott’ries
The Charm of English Pink: Potters
Astounding... and I thought I was writing a book. The second of the Charm trio is pretty close to being ready but the last tome still needs some work. The production is slowly but steadily − and indeed, happily − progressing.
While completing this last book has brought me a tremendous emotional lift, I am also experiencing another very positive result I did not expect − but am enjoying immensely. While doing an industrious search and categorizing my files for better clarity, I absolutely cannot resist a “quick,” examination of my − many tempting − older transferware files. Well, perhaps quick doesn’t adequately describe the rather long lapses of time... but some of the long-forgotten gems I’ve found are simply wonderful and must appear here! A definite delight, I’d say. The only drawback is that my husband Kent keeps insisting I must “BACKUP MORE OFTEN!” Much to my chagrin, he’s probably correct.
It seems we are anticipating an exciting event at our home. Last October, Kent and I flew to Norfolk to attend the Transferware Collectors’ Club Annual Meeting at Colonial Williamsburg. The conference left us breathless and desperately wanting more exposure to our terrific friends! As the weather warmed and the state began its most glorious yearly transformation − SPRING − we announced our intension to host a TCC northern California Regional Meeting. June 6 is our target! (For more details, see the TCC website www.transcollectorsclub.org.) Since we expected only west-coast members to attend, Kent and I are delighted with the results. Today, we have twenty-two members committed! Our 2009 mid-year transferware injection is happening!
Meanwhile, I’ll continue poking at my keyboard, rushing to keep up with the flow of EP ideas that rage through my transferware brain... Happy collecting, everyone!
(Hmmm... ‘Wonder if I might move that plate over here? And, maybe I could fit the entire “HOLY BIBLE” series on the new shelf in the bedroom... Oh, this is so much fun! How many weeks to go?)
Margie’s (Bi−) Monthly Log − July 20 2008
I don’t actually think one should be tardy in the very first month of a commitment, but that’s exactly what I’ve done. I never realized how rapidly a month can elapse! Nonetheless, I hope the new entries for July will spark some excitement and you’ll email me with your thoughts. I’d love to hear from you!
California is ablaze and Newcastle is hunkering down under a thick blanket of smoke. We’re presently away from danger but we clearly know our rural hilltop is vulnerable so we remain extremely cautious and watchful. Local health officials warn us to avoid inhaling any more of the unhealthy air than absolutely necessary. ‘Sounds like a good reason for me to stay indoors, prepare the website updates and work on the current book The Charm of English Pink...
Let’s see − I’ve just completed placing the images for the “NON PARIEL” pattern. Although the progress seems slow, I realize that each moment renders the book a bit more correct and thorough. This past week, an excited exchange of emails with another collector thrust a singular view, “Jerusalem/Mosque of Omar,” into a series with at least five views! In another situation, research has found the “Texian Campaign” series has two more manufactories than most collectors knew. Read about all of this on the “Message Board” of the Transferware Collectors’ Club website. If you haven’t yet seen the club website (www.transcollectorsclub.org), I urge you to look. The site offers a huge database of patterns, pictures and information. There are sample tidbits to tempt non-members and membership is inexpensive and easy. The “Message Board” alone is a goldmine − and it’s one of several FREE areas!
As these last two months have progressed, I find I’m ever more delighted with my decision to remove certain chapters from this text and make them the separate entities they need to be. Exciting new finds turn up every single day in tourist wares, 20th-century wares and “Willow” wares in pink. The other category, Aesthetic Movement wares, are rapidly becoming the hot collectible with transferware dealers as the earlier pieces are more and more difficult to find; unfortunately, prices are keeping pace and increasing too.
Occasionally I need to take a short break for writing so I’m always planning some smallish writing diversion. There two pieces for website additions are at work currently:
First, I’m expanding an article I wrote, for the TCC Bulletin, on English transferware in the California gold fields. It will be a look at evidence of England’s great industry in the trash heaps of California’s golden glory days. The writing is competed; I just have to add some pictures. I’ll say nothing more about it just now but you can look here for the completed project soon!
Second, I’m working on a “Teahouse” pattern project. Although the pieces aren’t pink and they are often not too old, they are nonetheless captivating! More later...
Well, back to work! Happy collecting ‘til I talk with you again! Hopefully, it’ll be August, not later!
Wednesday, May 14, 2008 With encouragement from my husband Kent, I’ve made some pretty major decisions this week. Continuing to work on the lay-up of my third book, the Charm of English Pink, I have felt overwhelmed, as if I were slaving long hours over a project that has overtaken me by its sheer size. I knew this third book in the English Pink series would be large but I didn’t realize how absolutely HUGE it would become. I have been working at just the layup portion of this one book for the better part of a year now. Shouldn’t I be further along? Late last week, I completed the letter H (of twenty-six) in chapter 3 (of nineteen!). This book alone may be 400 pages! Yesterday, after spending four long days on just three patterns, I let my focus become distracted and saved an already completed chapter over my work in the letter I! Having no up-to-date backup, I had no option but to begin the section again. Fortunately, I have a well-organized system for saving my prepared images and did not have to rework the pictures. In addition, it was only the first three patterns beginning with the letter I; I hadn’t lost more than I could handle... With tenderness and understanding, Kent refrained from criticizing my lack of a good backup. Instead, he simply listened as I poured out the despair that had been building and, quite probably, created the perfect circumstances for my mistake. Later I was able to calmly access the whole situation. This is what I discovered: - The contents for this particular book covered too much time, too many pottering people and too many places. It is simply too ambitious for one book!
- Each of the sub-categories within the enormous field of transferware deserved more time and effort than I had anticipated.
- To strive for perfection is noble; to fall short of that goal is human.
- Reworking the contents without destroying the intent of the original manuscript was not only possible but, probably, extremely constructive.
- As I’ve aged − and mellowed − my work is better but does require more time.
This is what I have decided to do: - Limit the scope of this book to the 1830 to 1865 period.
- Remove Chapter 6. All Things Pink Willow; POSSIBLY prepare separate publication. Hasn’t the best book already been done by Connie Rogers?
- Remove Chapter 7. The Aesthetic Movement to its own publication.
- Remove Chapter 8. Pink Wares for the Tourist; POSSIBLY prepare a separate publication. Do I really want to do this work anyway?
- Remove Chapter 9. Post Aesthetic, Turn-of-the-Century and 20th Century Transfer-Printed Wares to its own publication.
- Finish reworking the English Pink website.
- Make no promises that require meeting a time schedule.
- As I complete each publication, introduce it on the website.
- Backup all future work AS IT IS DONE!
- Remember the absolute joy of collecting, researching and writing!
Wednesday, May 21, 2008 Well, the reworking of the contents is complete. The finished product is as follows: The Charm Of English Pink
Pots, Pot'tries and Potters
Foreword by R. K. Henrywood The Best of English Pink: Using this Book Part I. Pots 1. Pink Flights of Fantasy 2. The Series System 3. Designs in English Pink Pattern-Numbered Wares A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z 4. Children’s Pink 5. Mysteries in Pink Part II. Pot’tries 6. The World’s Potting Capitol 7. Smokey Staffordshire Sky 9. Burslem, Mother of the Potteries 10. Fenton, the Forgotten 11. Hanley, Largest Pottery Town 12. Longton, Smallest of the Six 13. Stoke, Parish Town 14. Tunstall, to the North Part III. Potters 15. Potting Heroes 16. Family Trees Epilogue Appendices A. Produced in Pink, Not Pictured B. British Registry Charts C. Guidelines for Dating Transferware Glossary Bibliography Recommended Reading and References Index The effort is still quite large but, hopefully, more manageable. ‘Back to work! Happy collecting!
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