A gorgeous tea set can be the center of any majolica collection. Some are absolutely stunning with Minton, George Jones, Forester, Wedgwood, Fielding, Holdcroft, Choisy-le-Roi, the Etruscan Works and others showing great ingenuity and lovely design. It seems that ceramic designers pulled out all the stops when creating these marvelous sets. These were enormously popular in their day and they remain so today. Because of the the number of sets available to look at, I’ve broken the post into two parts. The first part covers the large, better known European manufacturers while the second covers American and smaller European companies and unattributed tea sets.
Starting with the inventor of Victorian majolica seems a good place to begin. Let’s see some sets by Minton.
Japonisme tea set for Minton by Christopher Dresser
Minton Aesthetic Movement divinity!
Minton Christopher Dresser kettle, creamer and sugar
Rare complete Aesthetic Movement tea set
George Jones, a former employee of Minton, also made marvelous sets, some incorporating matching tea trays.
Extremely rare Jones drum themed tea set
George Jones apple blossom tea kettle, cream, sugar, c+s and tray
Jones wild rose tea set without monkey handle
Jones wild rose tea set
Jones pineapple tea kettle, creamer, sugar, c+s and tray
Fielding made some attractive sets much sought after by collectors...
Fielding Shell and Net tea set came in three different color grounds
Fielding Ribbon and Leaf tea service
… as did Wedgwood.
Wedgwood Punch and Judy majolica tea set
Holdcroft’s sets were rather inventive.
Holdcroft faux bois tea kettle with tray and blackberry cream and c+s
Registered Holdcroft blackberry tea set with a rounded creamer and sugar
Second version of Holdcroft tea set with faux bois cream and sugar
Holdcroft Asian boy on coconut tea set
Holdcoft majolica pomegranate tea set
Adams & Bromley’s sets were as interesting as any with the bizarre "Fish Swallowing Fish" set quite popular in its day, judging from the number of available examples still in existence.
Attributed to Adams & Bromley
Some of Shorter & Boulton's designs were copied in the United States by the Willets Pottery of Trenton, NJ.
Shorter & Boulton bird and fan tea set
Shorter & Boulton Atlantic shell and waves tea set
Shorter & Boulton "Jonquil" tea set
Shorter & Boulton fan and owl tea set.
Forester was easily the most productive potter of majolica sets with not only their own designs but sets copied from other makers.
Forester Asian inspired tea set
Flying crane tea set with tray, attributed to Forester
Forester wild rose tea set
Rustic tea set with tray attributed to Forester
Wild rose and trellis tea set with matching pitcher attributed to Forester
Royal Worcester created more decorative majolica pieces than functional ones like dessert ware. Consequently they made few tea set designs.
Royal Worcester squash majolica tea set
Royal Worcester majolica barrel tea set
Banks & Thorley created one set that is very well known today. That tea set design was created in two different versions and in great quantity. Like many other potters of the period, their work was influenced by Asian design.
Banks & Thorley wicker and bamboo tea set with butterfly handles
Banks & Thorley wicker tea set with branch handles.
Samuel Lear produced designs of great quantity as well, easily available to the collector of today.
Wardle produced some of the best known majolica designs.
Wardle & Co. shell tea set with tray
Wardle & Co. water lily tea set
Wardle & Co. floral and wicker tea set with tray
Wardle & Co. majolica fan and crane tea set
Wardle & Co. Chrysanthemum tea set with tray
Wardle & Co. bamboo and fern tea set and pitcher
The French pottery Choisy-le-Roi made a pair of stunning sets and the pottery of the Riviera tourist town of Menton made a tiny set, probably for children, featuring the citrus for which they are strongly identified.
Choisy-le-Roi shell form tea set
Choisy-le-Roi Chinese influenced beverage service with tray
Menton citrus tea set
