TRANSFERWARE, OPERA, AND SIR WALTER SCOTT

Davenport (1794-1887) "Scotts Illustrations Bride of Lammermoor" 17.25 inch platter, ca. 1835.

I recently was in Santa Fe, New Mexico for the opera.  I went to five operas in five days: Lucia Di Lammermoor, Die Fledermaus, Alcina,The Golden Cockerel, and the world premier of The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs.  I enjoyed them all, even the three and a half hour Alcina, but I liked the Steve Jobs opera the best.  However, I digress, as this is a transferware blog, not an opera blog.

I already knew that Lucia di Lammermoor appeared on transferware.  The patterns are not based on the opera, but on the 1819 Sir Walter Scott novel "The Bride of Lammermoor" on which the opera is based.  Scott's novel was a best seller, so it made sense for Donizetti to capitalize on it.  The story includes young lovers from feuding families (think Romeo and Juliet), lots of sturm und drang, and many deaths.  (Great action for a 19th century Romantic opera!)  The title of the transferware series is "Scotts Illustrations," of which the "Bride of Lammermoor" is one.  The series was made by Davenport (1794-1887) around 1835.  Davenport also capitalized on a sure thing.

Davenport "Scotts (sic) Illustrations" mark for "Bride of Lammermoor."  I didn't include all the marks for the other patterns seen below,  but they are the same as the mark above except for the name of the book represented by the scene.  The individual scenes from the novels are not noted.

There are other patterns in the "Scotts Illustrations" series that illustrate the group of Scott's novels released from 1814-1832.  "Waverley" was the first, so the novels are known as the the "Waverley Novels." Here are some of the pottery examples.  All  of the pottery photos are from the Transferware Collectors Club Database of Patterns and Sources.

Davenport "Scotts Illustrations Waverley" 10.5 inch plate

Davenport "Scotts Illustrations Waverley" mark

Davenport "Scotts Illustrations Waverley" 7.75 inch plate

Davenport "Scotts Illustrations Rob Roy" sauce tureen stand

Davenport "Scotts Illustrations Heart of Midlothian" sauce tureen

Davenport "Scotts Illustrations Heart of Midlothian" mark

Davenport "Scotts Illustrations Bride of Lammermoor" 12.25 inch platter

Davenport "Scotts Illustrations Bride of Lammermoor" 19.88 inch well and tree platter

Davenport "Scotts Illustrations Legend of Montrose" 9 inch plate

Davenport "Scotts Illustrations Legend of Montrose" mark

I never know when something is going to remind me of transferware.  I just never expected it to be an opera!

The Santa Fe opera house is outdoors!

One more thing. If you want to know more about the magnificent Santa Fe Opera, follow this link.