Initially all pottery was decorated by hand, applying the colored glazes by brush, slip cup or any other tool that would produce the desired decorative effect. A method of transferring images from an engraved copper plate, to a sized paper and then to the ceramic object became popular as a both a work saver for the decorators working in the pottery and an accurate way to depict complex images. The process was patented in the late 18th Century and potteries quickly sprang up or changed over to produce these popular wares, most notably in the English region of Staffordshire and specifically the six or so small towns that made up the city of Stoke-on-Trent which was a hub of ceramic production since the mid 17th Century. Don't forget to look at the Powerpoint presentation on Bear's Grease Pot Lids at the very bottom of the Philly Buzz page, some beautiful examples of transferware can be found there.