I absolute love transferware dishes. Finding vintage transferware pieces while thrift shopping is always a thrill for me. You too? Well, you’re going to love this post then. Through the years I have accumulated an eclectic collection of green transferware. Come see my thrifted green transferware home goodies, and how I mix and match them in different ways around my home.
Today I am joining my blogging friend Rachel @ The Antique Journey in her Thrifted Goodies series. If you do not know Rachel yet, you need to hop over and introduce yourself. Rachel has a ton of thrifty goodness, and today she is sharing her Thrifted Goodies Volume 5. You don’t want to miss her post.
an eclectic green transferware dish collection
I love all the fabulous detail transferware patterns offers, and my eye is always drawn to it. Transferware pottery is created by transferring an image to a copper plate, which is transferred to a specially sized paper, which is finally transferred to the pottery body. Pretty cool, huh? Transfer ware is primarily on earthenware, but it is also found on ironstone, porcelain and bone china. My collection includes a variety of all of these.
Although I started with a very small brown transferware collection many moons ago, which is also thrifted, I quickly shifted to green. Green is my favorite color so somewhere along the line I started curating a collection during my thrift shopping excursions. I find the green transferware to be more unique and harder to find. It’s all about the hunt!
I would love to some day have enough pieces to set an eclectic tablescape, but until then I simply have some fabulous unique pieces to use around my home in decor vignettes. The colors, shapes, sizes are all varied and unique. The makers range from France to Italy to England to the good ol’ USA.
Since green is my favorite color, I tend to inject it through my house throughout the year, but it really lends itself for seasonal decor right now. The dishes are a variety of different styles, providing the flexibility to mix and match them in fun ways.
thrifted green transferware decor
Mantel Design
Simply adding some decorative plates on the mantel with some greenery is all that’s needed for creating a fresh and unique mantel-scape.
Wall Hanging
I love to hang plates on the wall as decor. Even better is this amazing decorative hanging hook that allows for changing out the decor with the seasons. I love stacking a variety of plates together for a layered and interesting look.
Tabletop Tablescape
Like I said above, I would love to have enough thrifted green transferware dishes to set a table some day. But until then I simply mix and match them to create unique plate stacks. It’s fun to create unique looks this way, and since everything I choose has my own personal style, all the pieces play well together.
Shelving Styling
Changing out shelving displays throughout the year keeps a home looking fresh. Adding some thrifted green transfer ware plates to my mom’s old secretary desk added a pop of freshness and interest.
Decorative Vignette
Decor vignettes are a great way to add personal touches throughout your home. Mercury glass ornaments and bells are favorites around here for the holiday season, and they compliment this eclectic green transfer ware dish collection.
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Thrifting Tip
Although a thrifted collection might seem hodge podge at first glance, keep in mind that in mass most collections look amaZing. There’s strength in numbers. So when you find your very first item, of whatever speaks to you, and then you buy the second one and your heart sinks because when you bring it home it really doesn’t match or jive with your first piece, be p.a.t.i.e.n.t.
All the pieces you pick will have the identifying quality of “being” your style. That’s why it speaks to you in the first place. And you pick it up off the shelf and admire it. And eventually smile and you bring it home to meet it’s other collected friends. Eventually as the collection grows they will all blend nicely together because “you” selected them and “you” have a certain style that brings them all together. Trust me.
other thrift shopping posts
“Thrift is not an affair of the pocket, but an affair of character.”
S.W. Straus
shared @ between naps on the porch
I LOVE THIS!!!! I’ve NEVER come across any green transferware at the thrift store…it’s hard enough to find ANY color really! But this is amazing. The green is SO PRETTY!!!
Also I one thousand percent agree with you on being patient. Whenever I find another piece for a collection in my home, I love to bring that new piece and introduce it to the others 🙂
SO FUN doing these virtual thrifting adventures with you!
Thank you so much Rachel! I love doing this series with you. It so speaks to my vintage loving heart. XO- MJ
I love that you two collaborated!
Love this…all of it! You’re so creative honey and will never get tired of your fabulous style!❤️
Love you honey!!!
On the East Coast green is definitely a hard find in transferware. I tend to stay away from Johnson Bros. Your pieces are beautiful. I love the thrill of the hunt and use the money from what I sell to fund my obsessions.. We are moving to the Carolinas this summer, away from the coast. We are lake people. Hopefully I will find some for you. I still need to send tge Valentine’s!
Thanks so much Carolyn! Interesting that the green is hard to find back East. I would think there would be more selection on the East coast since it’s more traditional. I need to start selling some stuff again as well. Happy Thanksgiving friend!!! XO- MJ
Hi MaryJo – What a beautiful collection! I love how you placed mercury glass ornaments on the plates. You have collected some beautiful patterns and some of the pieces look really old (late 1800s).
Thank you so much for your kind words. I’ve never researched the exact patterns I’ve collected but now you’ve peaked my interest. I just know I love them. Thanks for stopping by. XO- MaryJo
Beautiful collection. I have never seen any green transfer ware. How fun to find it thrifting. Thanks for sharing at Love Your Creativity.
It’s all so pretty MaryJo! I love the wall hanging especially!
I love your collection MaryJo! It is so beautiful. I really like how you displayed the plates on your mantel. Stunning. Thanks for sharing with us on the Home Imagined party. Have a great week.
All your plates are amazing, made even more by the fact they are all unique! Love a good rummage in a thrift store, you never know what you will find. Always love the quaint teapots! Sim x #UnlimitedLinkParty
I love the green transferware, but it’s hard to find in my area. sw Missouri. Brown and red are pretty easy to find. Green is so pretty in spring for Easter. Thanks so much for coming by All About Home. I’m featuring this post Monday evening. Happy Sunday!
Thanks so much Debra. Yea the green is rare. Keep in mind I’ve collected these pieces thru the years. Thanks so much for the feature. Totally made my day. XO- MaryJo
I’m glad you collect green transferware caz I collect blue! Actually, if I had more space, I would collect it ALL! Two years ago, I removed my dusty basket collection from the soffit over my kitchen cabinets and hung my blue and white plate collection–a motley bunch of souvenir plates (to places I’ve been, but thrifted the plates) to Blue Willow type designs to a birthday plate! I smile every time I think to look up at it! I found a large platter with forget me nots and hot glued (in just dots) a Dollar Tree galvanized tin “Thankful” to it; it hangs on a cupboard door.
These plates are gorgeous! I, too, have trouble finding green. Love it! Thanks for sharing at Vintage Charm. xo Kathleen
Thanks Kathleen. Yes green is super pretty but not easy to find. Thanks for the visit friend. XO- MJ