Thursday, September 19, 2013

Dishing About Texian Campaigne Transferware






Tell me, have you ever heard of 

Texian Campaigne Transferware?




I had not until I visited the 

Texas Governor's Mansion this past spring.




The Texas Governor's Mansion, 

designed by the prominent Abner Cook in Greek Revival style, 

was built in 1854, and has been home 

to every Texas governor.




Situated in downtown Austin, 

across the street from the Texas Capitol, the Mansion

was badly damaged by an arson fire on June 8, 2008.  

Fortunately all the contents were safely 

in off site storage because the Mansion was undergoing

a major renovation at the time of the fire.





Among the historic treasures and period antiques 

within the Texas Governor's Mansion,

is a collection of Texian Campaigne China.

It is believed that James Beech in Staffordshire, England, 

first produced this china in the 1830s or early 1840s 

in commemoration of the Texas Revolution 

and Texas' independence from Mexico.  

With the designs unchanged, the china continued 

to be produced from 1844 - 1852 by Thomas Walker, 

and by Anthony Shaw after 1852.





The transferware patterns of this china depict 

various military scenes with borders that alternate 

images of the Greek Goddess Ceres 

and a vignette of draped flags over a drum.

Produced in six different colors, 

blue appears to be the most common.




Pieces can also be found 

in purple, green, black, brown, and red.

The red is rare and more expensive.

The back side is marked "Texian Campaigne

within a fan shaped cartouche.  

The initials or first name initial with last name 

of the potter are below and help in dating a piece.





Within the past couple of decades, 

Texian Campaigne was produced by Mottahedeh

as a reproduction for the Dallas County Heritage Society 

and later for The Friends of the Governors Mansion.

These pieces are clearly marked as such.  




Relatively rare and highly collectable, 

Texian Campaigne, made as dinner services 

and tea sets, can demand high prices.

In addition to the Texas Governor's Mansion,


Collections of Texian Campaigne are in the following museums:

The Bayou Bend Collection, MFA, Houston
The Witte Museum, San Antonio
Texas A&M University, College Station
Dallas Museum of Fine Arts, Dallas
Star of the Republic Museum, Washington-On-The-Brazos



Source: http://governor.state.tx.us/mansion
If you are ever in Austin, TX, 

I highly recommend a tour of this historic home.

Tours are available most  Tuesdays - Thursdays 

from 10 - Noon with reservations.

 Mansion.Tours@tspb.state.tx.us.

More detailed information and additional photos 

on Texian Campaigne can be found on the following links used as reference:

http://fortbendlifestylesandhomes.com/photographs-through-time/

http://antiquescouncil.com/antiques/index.php?page=out&id=260

http://www.internetantiquegazette.com/pottery
_porcelain/2539_texian_campaigne_pattern_transferware/


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