It is apparent (and why not) that the manufacturers borrowed
or stole the patterns from each other. No doubt there where
close family ties between a lot of the businesses and partnerships
as well as rivalry. At times if one manufacturer had a large
order and a dead line to meet they would sub contract to other
makers to fill the order. Not all businesses had there own engravers
and the the transfer makers would supply to any manufacturer.
Sometimes the transfers would have the pattern name on the same
sheet, but more often than not they didn't. The retailers of
the china tried to keep there suppliers name a secret and so
they often insisted that the maker didn't have his name on the
item. As a business went into liquidation other makers would
buy what transfers where available and any engravings they thought
viable. It is an impossible task to ever have every pattern
and the maker. This we know, but we are collecting as many as
we can and we hope this helps some of you to place your item.