Transfer printed containers were made in England and sold to many countries where they would be locally filled and distributed. These containers were custom made for small chemists (pharmacies) in England to large, international corporations.
One of my favorite pieces in my collection of transfer printed advertising wares is this Millennium Flour container. It was produced by Crown Ducal for millers W. Vernon and Sons who named their mill after their most successful product: Millennium Flour, a flour product which won "The Miller Challenge Cup" in 1899 at the International Bakers Exhibition.
Millennium Mills is nestled along the Thames river at The Royal Victoria Docks, the docklands, and was designed and built by William Vernon and Sons in 1905.
Millennium Mills was partially destroyed in 1917 by the Silvertown explosion at Bruner Mond's munitions factory that was manufacturing explosives for Britain's World War I effort. In 1920 they were taken over by Spillers Limited. The factory was rebuilt in 1933 on a massive scale in an art deco style and remained in operation until 1953.
The Royal Victoria docks were closed in 1981 and the the other mills were demolished. Millennium Mills, today, is one of the most famous abandoned buildings in the world and is referred to as 'London's Greatest Derelict Landmark" .
Search Millennium Mills under Google Images and you can see loads of interior photos.
The mill is a high risk destination for Urban Explorers and is under constant security patrol. It has been a filming spot for many forms of media, including tv shows, series and movies as well as several music videos by bands like Snow Patrol and Cold Play who filmed their video to 'Every Teardrop is a Waterfall" there.
It was also filmed in the movie Green Zone as the setting for Saddam Hussain's maze of underground tunnels and bunkers.
Okie dokie, back to the transferware.
Transfer printing was first applied to containers which held such common items as toothpaste, foods (meats), shaving cream, soaps, and medical ointments between 1820-30 and to container lids in the 1840's. This was about 60 or so years after John Sadler and Guy Green perfected the transfer printing process. It was a common practice to market these products in transfer printed pottery containers until World War I when less expensive packaging was implemented.
I store lots of my flatware in these advertising crocks.
I love to read some of the advertisements on these pieces. 
These Dundee marmalade jars are fairly easy to find, though not always the really old ones (100 + years). There are some repros of these available as well...maybe why we see them all over blogland so often.
This mould is printed with the recipe for Brown & Polson's Corn Flour Blanc-Mange
These vessels are great to use as small planters to.
I recently planted some English ivy in a Grimwades quick cooker.
Wishing you all a safe, long and happy Memorial Day weekend!
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