The Blue Willow china pattern also was beloved by one of our favorite Southern characters. Eagle-eyed viewers of The Andy Griffith Show will tell you that Aunt Bee herself used Blue Willow china.

Blue Willow porcelain was first imported to England from China in the 18th century. By 1780, porcelain manufacturer Thomas Minton had reproduced the pattern on a line of his dishware.

With the rise of newly formed clubs and more and more conventions, Blue Willow china has found new followers, or “Willowers,” as collectors call themselves. The original Willow pattern was ...

Blue Willow china, the pattern that put the "blue plate special" on the menu at American diners, also gave rise to a host of home accessories and collectors who prowl flea markets and attend china ...

The Willow Pattern is a by-product of this, designed in 1780 by Minton and intended to add a touch of Oriental magic to cheaper earthenware and thereby make it more widely available.