Blue Calico China: A Classic Blue and White Pattern with Rich Heritage
For over 50 years, Blue Calico china with its distinctive chinoiserie-inspired floral pattern has become one of the favorites of blue and white china collectors worldwide. The charming white floral blossoms that swirl across the deep cobalt blue ground has become a highly recognizable motif, and this pattern brings vintage English countryside style to modern homes.
The Origins of Blue Calico
Blue Calico was first added to the Burleigh pattern book in 1968 and has been in production ever since. This English pottery draws its inspiration from something much older – specifically 19th-century indigo fabric and the traditional art of textile printing.
Calico originated in Calicut, from which the name of the textile came, in South India, now Kerala, during the 11th century, where the cloth was known as "chaliyan." This simple cotton fabric became the canvas for intricate printed designs that would influence decorative arts for centuries to come.
Examples of various blue and white floral china designs from Burleigh Pottery, including Blue Calico
From Fabric to Fine China: The Chinoiserie Connection
The inspiration for this striking pattern is "calico" - a type of cloth known for its distinctive, all-over floral design. Blue Calico was derived from early Victorian patterns which had their roots in Chinese porcelain, representing the spring with fallen prunus blossom onto cracked ice. This connection to Chinese design places Blue Calico within the broader tradition of chinoiserie – the European passion for reimagining Chinese decorative arts that flourished in the 17th and 18th centuries.
Chinese porcelain (left) and Chinese Blue Calico fabrics such as those from Nantong (right), inspired English Blue Calico ceramics.
The Transferware Process
What makes Blue Calico truly special is the traditional transferware process used to create each piece. Every piece of Blue Calico is made by hand at the renowned Middleport Pottery in Staffordshire using this centuries-old technique.
The transferware method involves painstakingly engraved copper rollers that print the intricate Blue Calico pattern onto tissue paper. Skilled artisans then carefully apply this printed tissue to each ceramic piece by hand, transferring the design before the tissue is removed. This process allows for the detailed all-over pattern coverage that makes Blue Calico so distinctive, while ensuring that every piece is unique due to the hand-application process.
This transferware technique connects Blue Calico to the English pottery tradition, where the process revolutionized how complex china patterns could be mass-produced while still maintaining handcrafted quality. The transferware technique also allowed the middle class to access beautiful and popular chinaware designs that were previously unavailable to them due to the high cost of hand-painted pottery, democratizing fine pottery and making elegant patterns accessible to a broader audience. Even today, while the pattern draws inspiration from centuries past, it continues to be made by skilled artisans using time-honored techniques. In an era when most ceramics are mass-produced, Blue Calico offers a connection to traditional craftsmanship and hands-on techniques.
Demonstrating the transferware process where designs are transferred from tissue paper to ceramic plates.
The Appeal of Blue Calico
Burleigh's Blue Calico has remained in continuous production for over 40 years because of its versatility, inspiring similar patterns from other pottery makers such as Royal Staffordshire and Royal Crownford. The rich cobalt blue tones and scrolling blossom design work equally well for casual family dinners and special occasions. For collectors, Blue Calico offers an accessible entry point into English pottery, and since it's been continuously produced since 1968, pieces from different eras mix easily. The durable earthenware construction and dishwasher-safe glazes make these beautiful pieces practical for everyday use rather than just special occasions.
This combination of beauty, durability, and accessibility explains why Blue Calico has remained a favorite for over 50 years. When you choose Blue Calico, you're getting both the charm of traditional English pottery and the practicality needed for modern living.
Blue Calico China Jewelry Collection by eclectiQuas
eclectiQuas: From Fine China to Broken China Jewelry
Inspired by the beauty and intricate designs of Blue Calico china, eclectiQuas creates elegant broken china jewelry that reimagines and gives new purpose to this treasured pattern. Each handcrafted pendant necklace, earring, and adjustable ring combines vintage porcelain featuring the white blossoms on the deep cobalt blue ground with sterling silver settings and quality embellishments, such as lustrous freshwater pearls and Swarovski crystal elements. These distinctive designs transform traditional china into heirloom jewelry meant to be treasured for generations. Versatile for any occasion, eclectiQuas jewelry lets you bring the beauty of Blue Calico into your everyday style.
Resources
Burleigh Pottery Official Website - Blue Calico Collection, https://www.burleigh.co.uk/collections/blue-calico
Calico. (2025, June 12). Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calico
Smithsonian Folklife Magazine ,"Blue Calico Cloth of Nantong, China" https://folklife.si.edu/magazine/blue-calico-cloth-nantong-china
Antique Answers: "Everything you Need to Know About Transferware" https://antiqueanswers.com/everything-you-need-to-know-about-transferware/
