What is mulberry?

[Susanna Pickle]

Mulberry is a variation of flow blue, where the potter used a darker pigment, often an inky black or purple. Because the same chemicals and additives that make flow blue "flow" were added to the kiln, the mulberry version of flow blue also "flows" but can be mistaken for a black transferware pattern. The education function of the Flow Blue International Collector's Club recognizes mulberry as a variation of flow blue. However, I've seen some of the most ardent collectors take a moment to peruse a piece before agreeing it was a mulberry flow and not a transferware.  I've included some pictures of confirmed mulberry pieces below--note the wide color differences!

This is a polychrome mulberry piece attributed to Samuel Alcock (but not signed).

An example of German flow mulberry, Bryonia pattern by U & Co.

Rhone Scenery by TJ&J Mayer

Napier by Josiah Wedgwood (which was also made in a polychrome).