When it comes to Blue Willow dishes, there are many makers in many countries. There are also many colors and styles … and sizes. All of these facts add the the fun to the collecting but maybe the neatest part of the Blue Willow dish is the legend behind them. There is an old Chinese legend about Blue Willow that I would like to share with you. There have been many variations of this story but usually it stays within the `guide lines’ of my story.
It seems there was a wealthy Chinese father who wanted the best for his daughter, Li-chi. He found her the perfect husband to be. The young man shared his intended’s same station in life and the wedding date was set. Well, the young lady had other ideas. Li-chi had found herself a fine young man named Chang that she wanted to share her life with. But what could see do? She did the only thing she could. The two young lovers met in the garden outside her palace and made their plans to run away.
On the night they were to make their escape, Chang came for Li-chi and they made their way to the bay where a Chinese boat was waiting to carry them away. As they ran along the path to freedom, a noise behind them made them aware that someone was chasing them. In some versions of this legend, it was the father and in some, it was the groom to be. Regardless of who it was, the pursuer wanted them stopped. The person chasing them was swinging a weapon. The young lovers were stopped and killed! Some say it was the father that killed Chang. Some say it was the groom to be that killed them both.
But there is also the version that the young lovers made it to the water’s edge and started swimming out to the boat. But alas, the under tow pulled them under to their deaths .. together. BUT THIS VERSION DOESN’T END THERE!!
All the while that this drama was unfolding, the Chinese gods were watching. Upon the young lover’s death, the gods took pity on Chang and Li-chi because of such unconditional love. The gods decided to let the two live and turned the lovers into a pair of turtle doves so that they might be together in life.
And so goes the legend but there is a little more to the story. Number one, the legend was not Chinese but instead English. It was written to be a story explaining a design on some English dishes called `Blue Willow’ (see posted pictures). The Blue Willow design found on the English-made dining ware had all the symbols of the story on them or was it the other way around?
The blue printed dishes came out in about 1780 and were engraved by Thomas Turner of the Caughley Pottery in Staffordshire England. Some argue that fact. Never the less, by 1790, the pattern was well known and called Blue Willow. It became so well liked that a rush of `copies’ by other companies flooded the market .. and still does today in many countries.
Blue Willow is made all over the world and even the design changes a little from place to place. But still, they all have the same basic items making up it’s design. There is always a Chinese Palace, boat on water, willow trees, a bridge, three people running, and two love doves flying.
If you own some Blue Willow, get it out and check for those items. There are now hundreds of makers of the dishware and dozens of countries of origin so some may vary but still all are basicly the same.
I have been collecting Blue Willow for many, many years and love it. I even have a 1950s complete service for four that we use when we have guests. My collection is displayed in my home and includes some pieces I have received as gifts from around the world. I have `cheap’ Blue Willow that I use every night. Some of my pieces are very large and some tiny as in the cup and sauser in the attached picture.
If you collect or would like to start a collection, this is a neat project. The cost of pieces depends on what you are willing to pay. I’ve seen wonderful pieces that were inexpensive and junk that cost a fortune.
By the way, did I mention that Blue Willow comes in red or black also? Or that it also comes in paper?
For more information, go to the public library. There are lots of books on Blue Willow.
