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Butter Pat Patter Association
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ALL BUTTERED UP FOR
COLLECTING!
Victorian butter pats, whether miniature replicas
of the china
they accompanied or a whimsical design all their
own, are infinitely collectible.
by Mary Dessoie
Ms. Heaivilin went on to say, "In my
own collection of butter chips, there are various sizes
and styles–round, square, fluted corners, octagonal–all
match the Tea Leaf dinnerware of some potter,
either English or American. It was so easy to carry an
afternoon’s find in my purse or pocket."
Upper left: Copeland (ca. 1847) pattern
name is India Tree; Majolica (no back stamp); floral centerpiece with gold
trim by C.T. Tielsch & Co., Silesia, Germany (ca. Late 1800's); and
Sandland & Ltd., Hanley, England made in the 1940's.
Although many butter pats can be found for under $10,
there are those that sell for hundreds of dollars. One
pattern that Royal Copenhagen continues to manufacture
in butter-pat size, and sell at its locations in the
United States, is the hand-painted Flora
Danica pat as part of its complete set
of china. The Flora Danica pattern is
regarded as one of the last luxury services still in
existence from the 18th-century and is perhaps the
world's most prestigious dinner service in production
today. Flora Danica is reputed to be one of the
most original and inspired products of the European art
industry from the golden age of porcelain. Each
individual butter pat retails for approximately $550.00
and, since this is an import item, waiting time can be
up to one year. Likewise, railroadiana
afficionados continue to pay top dollar for rare marked
railroad pats. At a 2003 on-line auction the hammer went
down at $1,525.00 for a circa 1889-1915 Wabash
top-marked railroad pat. The back stamp featured the
name of the potterer, Greenwood China, Trenton, N.J.
This outstanding price was realized despite a chip on
the face of the pat. Even during harsh economic times,
savvy collectors continue to buy up antiques for their
own pleasure and as investment opportunities. Flaws are
overlooked when items are rare, such as the railroad pat
described above.
Top marked pats from hotels,
restaurants, diners, educational institutions, airlines,
railroads or steamship lines are sought by many
collectors. Novelty pieces, such as portrait pats, are
also highly collectible. Portrait pats were manufactured
in Germany or France in the 1800's and later hand
painted, featuring the heads of finely clothed Victorian
ladies, gentlemen or children. It is nice to round out a
collection with at least one each of the following
patterns: Blue Willow, Tea Leaf,
Majolica and Flow Blue.
Serious collectors often seek out
butter pat-size salesmen’s sample pats. It was a common
practice from the late 1800's for itinerant salesmen,
also known as drummers, to carry samples. Catalogues
were too costly to send by post and regular-sized wares
were far too expensive and cumbersome for traveling
salesmen to carry. Therefore, tiny sample butter
pat-size plates were the answer to show the actual
patterns and colors that were available from the
potteries. These rare pieces are top marked with
manufacturers’ descriptions regarding color and design.
The author commissioned a New York
City architectural woodworking firm to carry out her design for this custom-made
butter pat display case.
One or two butter pats on their own,
although exquisitely beautiful, do not make a dramatic
statement. The individual intrinsic worth of one piece
is minimal in comparison to the value it provides to the
total collection. When butter pats are grouped together
and thoughtfully arranged, they become a work of art.
Some collectors enjoy displaying their pats in custom-
made butter pat cases. These cases become the background
for an ever-changing exhibition with an unlimited number
of combinations.
These delightful pieces of china have
been enjoyed by many and have traveled far from the
factories of Staffordshire, Limoges and Bavaria. They
are enduring in their beauty and uniqueness and will
certainly continue to find favor with collectors of
quality antiques.
A parade of butter pats from the
Victorian era through modern day pieces.
page 3
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page 1
by Mary Dessoie
Reprinted with permission
Copyright by Mary Dessoie ©
Butter Pat Patter
Association
The Butter Pat Patter Association
was established in 1997 by Mary Dessoie for beginner and
advanced collectors of exquisite china butter pats from
the Victorian through Edwardian eras and 19th-century
to current-day transportation and hotel pats..
Butter pat collectors have a new
reason to be enthusiastic about joining the Butter Pat
Patter Association, America’s only club for connoisseurs
of butter pats. Aficionados of this exciting collecting
hobby will receive a valuable china premium with their
membership. With payment of a $22 membership fee, new
members receive ten issues of The Patter
newsletter and a mint condition 3-inch Royal Doulton
china butter pat. Royal Doulton, located in the
Staffordshire region of England, is known throughout the
world as one of the leading manufacturers of fine china.
Other services for members include: buy, sell, research
and appraisals. For those persons who would like to
start their subscriptions immediately and receive their
Royal Doulton butter pat by return mail, please send
your check, in the amount of $22, payable to Mary
Dessoie, Butter Pat Patter Association, 265 Eagle Bend
Drive, Bigfork, Montana 59911-6235. (For Canadian
requests, please send a money order for $30 U.S. and for
European and other international requests, please send
an international money order for $35.)
For additional information and sample
copies of The Patter newsletter, please send a
stamped (60 cents) self-addressed long envelope with
$4.00 to: Mary Dessoie, Butter Pat Patter Association,
265 Eagle Bend Drive, Bigfork, Montana 59911-6235.
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