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Wedgewood Jasperware China Colors

Jasperware is known as Josiah Wedgwood’s most famous innovation. According to the Wedgwood website, the original Jasperware originally came in blue, lilac, black, yellow and green. These colors were used as background for white relief or portraits along the edges and sides of china. These colors were made in two processes known as solids and dips. The “solid” was a staining process that stained throughout the whole piece, while the “dip” colored only the surface.

Blacks
- The black solid, first produced around 1778, had intermittent production until it was phased out by 1977. Blue-black solid stain incorporated into china that was then dipped in black Barbarini Dip was made especially for the famous Portland Vase during 1789 through 1790.
Blues
- Many blue hues of Jasperware--such as dark cobalt, Mazarine blue, midnight blue and pale blue--became available in 1777, following the solid blue produced in 1775. The royal solid blue was introduced in 1953 to commemorate the coronation of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. It remained in production for about three years and was discontinued until 1977, when it was revived for Her Majesty’s Silver Jubilee and revived one more time for the 50th edition of the Portland Vase in 1980. The royal blue dip was only produced in 1989.
Browns
- The chocolate brown dip was produced mainly for trial purposes around 1777, with the solid chocolate brown items produced between 1779 and 1820.The lighter taupe brown solid began distribution in 1982.
Greens
- Myriad shades of green including: celadon solid, lime solid, sea green solid, olive, sage spruce, teal and turquoise dips appeared and disappeared over the years as shades of green came and went in popularity. Some shades were commissioned by certain organizations.
Greys
- A “Quaker” grey dip was only produced in 1879, and a solid grey produced from 1777 to 1820 was reintroduced around 1960 and 1991, but was discontinued due to unpopularity.
Lilac
- Lilac dips were introduced in 1777 and continued until 1820, reintroduced in 1860 and again in 1920. Solids with hues ranging from pink, peach to grey tones were manufactured off and on from 1777 to 1790, with limited editions in 1959 and full production from 1960 to 1964 and 1980 to 1984.
Pink/Terra Cotta
- Pink, a relatively new color, was introduced in 1982; whereas terra cotta solid has been around since 1775.
Yellows
- Yellow in both dips and solids was one of the colors produced in the early years of Jasperware, from 1777 to 1820, with the buff shade in dip form produced in small amounts around 1778. The yellow buff solid was popular from 1929 to 1933 when it was the background for black bas-relief work. Other yellows were the yellow cane (dip and solid) and yellow primrose solid.
White Solid
- White solid has been produced off and on since 1774.

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