The Travelling Willow

Her love of architecture, history, travel and for her mother’s treasured BlueWillow collection inspired Sarah-Jane Jordaan, a young architect and illustrator from De Doorns, to use her pen to take this much-loved tree on a trip around the world.

- Maja Palm

Blue Willow plates don’t need much introduction. They were created in 1779 in England by Thomas Turner and soon made their way to other parts of the world, appearing on tables across Europe, the Americas and, yes, South Africa.

They took pride of place on the tables of ordinary people and were highly fashionable in eateries in the US between the 1920s and 1950s – hence the American phrase “Blue Plate Special”. The blue doves were even presented with pride in British palaces. They remain sought-after items today. Collectors pay handsomely for the pieces, which have been manufactured throughout the years at 500 factories around the world.

Indeed, it was a set of Blue Willow dinnerware belonging to Sarah-Jane Jordaan’s mother that inspired her to send the willow tree off on its travels to London, Tokyo, Amsterdam, NewYork, Sydney and Cape Town.

How did your idea for the Travelling Willow Series start?