My personal set that my parents gave me when I was sixteen is Winterling Bavarian. We lived in Europe then, and I found out after the fact that it is a pattern one seldom sees exported to America. One teacup did not make the trip intact in the household goods brought back by ship, and my Mama carried around the names of replacement companies for years with no results. Thanks to the miracle of the internet, I did manage to find a replacement from a private party along with a couple of spare pieces. It has no pattern name, only a set of numbers and would be a dogwood design with gold embellishment. I suspect it was not a very widely produced pattern and to the best of my knowledge mid sixties would have been a good guess as to when production on it stopped.

Lynn, your new dishes are so pretty! Before this forum, I didn't really see the beauty in transferware (always thought they were kind of "old-ladyish") but now either I'm an "old lady" (can't be! LOL!)or you have all shown me how lovely the patterns can be in different settings. I would love to get a bargain on some like you did Lynn. Can't wait to see your tablescape using them - do a late Valentine's one if they don't arrive in time! I think white Battenburg placemats would look great with them. I get mine from a local store that carries those from this site though on the site, it says they only sell through representatives. I know I have gone to "home parties" and bought them too. Maybe someone sells them in your area. DD Here is a link that might be useful: linen & lace products

There were books. Probably the most famous was Thomas Chippendale's The Gentleman and Cabinet Maker's Director More sophisticated cabinet shops might have used classical Greek orders for proportions on things. Another likely source is that patterns were passed down from master to apprentice. This is why appraisers can often designate a piece from a certain geographic area based on subtle proportions. Philadelphia pieces will vary slightly from Boston or Rhode Island pieces. Patterns for some things were often made on a thin piece of wood and reused. You'll often see patterns for things like chair and table legs hanging on the wall in old photos and drawings of shops.

Thank you Tina! The slip covered chairs would only be pulled out for large groups, a couple times a year, so not out all the time. Red, white, black and tan....all works for me. It is funny , I can picture it all perfectly, but am more concerned now, that red and gold is OUT. I have been googling that fervently today and I do need to, in order to keep red, eliminate gold. There is an all red Sherill fabric I love, a tone on tone red damask that does not represent well in picture form but I have seen on pieces in the store that I love. I'm going to look at it tomorrow.No gold. And painting in the future. A warm, deep cream, a contrast to pine furniture and to white glossy trim but not yellow at all.