PETS AND TRANSFERWARE

"The Familiar Friend" 7.25 inch plate by an unknown maker (most children's plates are by an unknown maker).

February 20 is National Love Your Pets Day. I think the day could also be called National Love Your People Day! We love our pets and they love us. There are lots of transferware patterns that show people and pets. Most of the patterns feature children and were intended for children. The Transferware Collectors Club Database of Patterns and Sources shows 95 patterns in the category Children's Subjects/Pets. I thought I'd show you a few of my favorites. I actually own quite a lot of them!

Not all pets are what most of us consider household animals such as dogs and cats. Much of England in the 19th century was rural, so a pet could be a lamb.

"My Favourite Lamb" 4.5 inch plate, ca. 1830.

"Pet Lamb" 2.56 inch mug with a molded alphabet rim. It is harder to see the alphabet than to feel it!

"The Pet Lamb" 4.25 inch mug.

Even a sheep!

"The Pet Of The Village" 6 inch plate with a molded alphabet border, ca. 1880.

William Adams IV & Sons (1829-1861) 6 inch saucer "The Pet," ca. 1835. The saucer is part of a tea service for adults.

Or a pony.

"The Little Pony" 4.5 inch plate includes the poem: "I had a little Pony/ They called it Dapple Grey/ I lent it to a young man/ To ride a mile away."

Or a fawn.

"The Pet Fawn" 2.75 inch mug.

Or a chicken!

"My Hen" by an unknown maker, ca. 1810.

Rabbits probably bridge the space between domestic pets and farm animals.

"My Favorite Rabbit" 5.25 inch plate.

Plate, 6.5 inches. The pattern is found with the title "My Rabbits."

"Feeding The Rabbits" 2.75 inch mug.

J. Meir & Son (1837-1897) 8 inch wash jug, ca. 1840. The jug is part of a toilet set.

Which brings us to cats and dogs.

"Faithful Fido" 4.5 inch plate. Fido was a popular name for a dog for a long time. President Abraham Lincoln named his dog "Fido," and the name was used so often that it referred not just to one dog but to any dog! It remained popular in the United States into the 20th century. The word is Latin for faithful or loyal.

"Faithful Playmate" 4 inch plate, ca. 1830.

"A Lady's Pet" 7 inch plate with a molded alphabet border, ca. 1880.

Podmore, Walker & Co. (1834-1859) "Soldier Tired" 4.4 inch plate.

John Wilkinson (1828-1867) "Our Early Days, The Pet."

Cats don't have a reputation for loyalty or loving, but I can attest that some cats, like some humans, are more loving than others. Of course, there is the joke about dogs having masters and cats having staff. This mug illustrates that.