victorian blue and white willow pattern pint measure.. sold .. sold
height 135mm x diameter 90mm
sold.. an excellent blue and white willow pattern pint measure from the victorian era likely to have been made in staffordshire. the pint measure is decorated with a blue and white willow pattern. the willow pattern was originally designed in the late eighteenth century by thomas turner of caughley. thomas turner also invented a chinese legend to go with the pattern. as illustrated in the decoration of this pint measure, in the garden of the country mansion owned by a wealthy mandarin can be seen an orange tree. in the legend it is beneath this tree that the wealthy man discovers his daughter, li chi in the intimate company of the mandarins pauper secretary, chang. the mandarin did not approve of the love affair and chases the couple over his bridge. the young lovers spend the night hiding in changs house. the following morning they take the boat belonging to li chis father and escape to an island. it is here that the gods take pity on the lovers predicament and turn li chi and chang into turtle doves to live a life happy ever after..sold
