Japan, which exported great amounts of willow to the U.S. from the late 1930s to the 1970s.

1849, in an article titled “The Story of the Common Willow-Pattern Plate,” which appeared in a publication called “The Family Friend.”

Buffalo Pottery, of Buffalo, New York, in 1905. That first year only, the pottery mark read "First Old Willow Ware Manufactured in America."

Josiah Spode I’s pottery is given credit for creating the standard willow pattern in 1790, although it is believed that Thomas Minton was the actual engraver of the pattern, while serving an independent engraver in London for Spode and other manufactureres.

The Andy Griffith Show. We see willow-pattern dishes throughout the series. In addition to Aunt Bee's kitchen, it appears in the sheriff's office, Mayberry store windows and in Thelma Lou's dining room.

Woolworth’s. Most all of the willow they sold was made in Japan.

1986 in Cincinnati, Ohio.

A willow tree, an orange or apple tree, two birds, people on a bridge, a fence, a boat and a tea house, which some collectors call a pagoda. It has been discussed that the apple or orange tree could be a Chinese pine tree, but the apple/orange reference is still the most popular/well-known reference.

Three.

Kind of true. The origins of the phrase might date to 1892, when diner proprietor Fred Harvey was serving up quick and cheap meals to railroad travelers at his Harvey House chain which operated along the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe lines. But he used solid blue plates in his restaurants. No doubt, though, as the popularity of willow-pattern grill plates grew, their association with Blue Plate Specials was cemented. By the 1920s, the Blue Plate Special was a familiar item on menus all across the U.S.

Beatrix Potter.

Blue is the most popular and well-recognized color. Other colors include red/pink, green, mulberry, yellow/gold, orange, brown, black and multicolor.

William Randolph Hearst. It was trimmed in gold so that no one would mistake it for an inferior version.

Although the dishes were blue and white, they were not the willow pattern. Washington was very fond of the early Chinese handpainted blue and white porcelain and ordered it on at least nine occasions while at Mount Vernon. His first order arrived in April 1763. In the early 1790s, one of Washington’s orders was a 302-piece set.