Birds on Vintage China Patterns

Pendant approx. 1"

"I once had a sparrow alight upon my shoulder for a moment, while I was hoeing in a village garden, and I felt that I was more distinguished by that circumstance that I should have been by any epaulet I could have worn."

-Henry David Thoreau

American china with bird motif

Bluebird China

�Bluebird china enjoyed a brief but spectacular history, first appearing in the late 1800s, reaching its zenith in the early to mid-1920s, and was almost entirely gone by 1930. China decorated with the bluebird motif was produced by over 50 different American companies including Anchor Pottery Company, Atlas China Company and Atlas-Globe China Company, Chippendale China, Homer Laughlin China Company, and Steubenville Pottery Company to name just a few.�

-Excerpt from the book Bluebird China (Schiffer Book for Collectors), above, which can be found Here

Classic Homer Laughlin "Fluffy Bluebird" Pattern

Homer Laughlin Fluffy Bluebird pattern china

Necklace pendant

Necklace Pendant

Bracelet made from a broken tea cup

Broken china mosaic heart with bluebird

Bluebirds of Happiness

�The mythology of the bluebird of happiness has deep roots that go back thousands of years. Indigenous cultures across the globe hold similar myths and beliefs about the bluebird. It is a widely accepted symbol of cheerfulness, happiness, prosperity, hearth and home, good health, new births, the renewal of springtime, etc. Virtually any positive sentiments may be attached to the bluebird.�

-Excerpt from Bluebird of Happiness, which can be found HERE in its entirety.

Other Bluebird China Patterns

Vintage Lovebirds - Unknown pattern

Some examples of a few less common American bluebird china patterns:

Necklace with freshwater pearl and Swarovski crystal

Necklace Pendant

Pin brooch with freshwater pearls and Swarovski crystals

Bracelet displayed on the plate it was made from

Link bracelet

How about these sweet little birds? Looks like they've made their nest in a basket.

Necklace pendant, vintage American china

Necklace pendant

Entry May 18

�Your words are born not spoken. Dimensional soft-vowelled words palpable to the eye or to the fingertip. Exquisitely curved as the young that flowers conceive.

Often I have watched your lips shape words... and your tongue nudge them out

like small birds not wholly certain of their wings. Your sweetest words are those

shaped ovally like plums or wild birds' eggs. And the long bright ribbons you

laugh, the multitudes of hyacinth and bluebells.�

-Walter Benton, This Is My Beloved

Pin brooch with freshwater pearls and Swarovski crystals

An older, unusual bluebird china pattern, probably circa 1920:

Necklace pendant

Pin brooch with freshwater pearl and Swarovski crystal

Necklace made with Amazonite, Rohodonite, and sterling wire

Necklace

Necklace, unknown pattern

Mount Clemens Robin pattern

Heart Pendant

Heart pendant

Pendant

Pin brooch with sterling beads and Swarovski crystals

Heart pendant

Charm bracelet with pearls and various crystals and gems

Silver spoon bracelet

Silver spoon bracelet

Silver spoon bracelet

Pin brooch with crystals

Another unusual American bird pattern. These look like lovebirds or budgies. Notice the motif surrounding the heart design in the second photo below.

Necklace pendant

Pin brooch

Bird of Paradise & Pheasant Patterns

"The bird of paradise alights only upon the hand that does not grasp."
-John Berry

Unusual, ornate pattern. Pin brooch with Swarovski crystals and freshwater pearls.

�The birds-of-paradise are members of the family Paradisaeidae of the order Passeriformes. The majority of species in this family are found on the island of New Guinea...with a few species occurring in the Moluccas of Indonesia and eastern Australia. The family has forty species in 13 genera. The members of this family are perhaps best known for the plumage of the males of most species, in particular highly elongated and elaborate feathers extending from the beak, wings or head. For the most part they are confined to dense rainforest habitat.�

-Excerpt from Bird-of-paradise, which can be found HERE in its entirety

Antique pattern. Pin brooch with heart-shaped coin pearl and crystal.

Heart charm, approx 7/8"

Pin brooch

Beautiful colors! Pin brooch with Swarovski crystals

Pendant

Parrots & cockatoos

Art deco china pattern with parrot motif, American china

Same pattern as above. This pin brooch was made from the design on the center of the plate.

This Parrot pattern is from England:

Pendant

Pin brooch

English china, necklace pendant

Blue Willow birds:

Pendant

Blue willow porcelain from Japan. Necklace made with glass beads, glass pearl beads and sterling wire.

Necklace

A few other bluebird and bird china patterns:

Pendant

Pin brooch

Silver spoon bracelet with 7/8" heart charm

Bluebird china earrings

Heart charm approx. 7/8"

Shelley fine bone china. Flow blue bird motif with gold overlay.

"One must ask children and birds how cherries and strawberries taste."
-Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Pin brooch with amethyst briolette drop. Newer porcelain.

English transferware with swan motif. Pin brooch

Heart charm, approx 7/8" English transferware

Vintage American pottery with doves motif. Pendant

Birds are flyin' south for winter.
Here's the Weird-Bird headin' north,
Wings a-flappin', beak a-chatterin',
Cold head bobbin' back 'n' forth.
He says, "It's not that I like ice
Or freezin' winds and snowy ground.
It's just sometimes it's kind of nice
To be the only bird in town."

-Shel Silverstein Weird-Bird

Birds are one of my most requested china patterns for jewelry. Because they can be hard to find, sometimes even rare, my finished jewelry pieces made from these patterns on average cost a bit more than other patterns.

I hope you enjoyed this look into the world of vintage bird china! No matter how often I look at these patterns, they are still delight me each time I see them!

-Laura

(all jewelry shown above was made by me!)