'Timbuctoo' Mug, ironstone china with transfer-printed decoration, designed by Sara Lynn, made by Nicholas-John Ltd., England, 1980.

Ironstone china mug of straight-sided cannister shape, with transfer-printed decoration of toucans in black, green, yellow, red and blue against a blue grid ground.

Given by the maker

One of a set of three mugs [C.219 to 221-1983], decorated individually using hand applied ceramics transfers. The mug shape is called "HARPUR" and was designed by Nick Holland.

Historical significance: This mug is of interest for its pretended use of computer imaging, aiming at a 'high-tech' look even though the decorative technique is traditional transfer-printed and hand designed.

Mugs have continued to gain popularity for use in the home and designers have been concerned to make the mug more attractive and acceptable to middle class tastes. Due to their straight-sided cylindrical shape, mugs are a convenient format for design and decoration in many styles. In the 1980s they have become like generic conveyors of style messages and are marketed in the same way T-shirts and greeting cards - the decoration on these examples would be sucessful on any of these media.

C.221-1983