The Minton factory was responsible for a huge uplift in the quality of British porcelain during the mid to late 19th Century. They achieved much of this by poaching some of the best scientists and artists from the famous French Sèvres factory, which enabled them to keep coming up with new materials and production processes. This was the time of majolica, parian porcelain, the pâte-sur-pâte technique, and today we are looking at acid gilding. Compared with how gilding had been

You know I love Derby porcelain figures from the 18th Century; to some they may look like kitsch at first sight because there have been so many bad reproductions and imitations in the 19th and 20th Century, but in fact they are little master pieces. They were not made to, say, stand in the glass cabinet of your old auntie, but they were used to decorated the dining table, forming a talking point and sometimes being part of a spectacular display including gardens and fountains

It's time for a new episode of my column in Homes & Antiques, this time about the continuation of the great Worcester factory. This is an era that is usually called "Flight & Barr". And if you feel confused by this era and the many names the factory went by (Flight, Flight & Barr, Barr Flight & Barr, and Flight Barr & Barr!) you are not the only one - so that's why we simply call it "Flight & Barr". The story is of extraordinary talent and resilience. After the death of Dr.

No, this is not a joke, but well, two flower painters walked into a pub... A while ago I was offered a large porter mug that was quite intriguing. Porter mugs were used for porter, a strong dark ale that had become very popular in the late 18th and early 19th Century and that derived its name from the London porters, who made it fashionable. Porcelain factories started making beautiful named mugs that people could give each other at special occasions. The recipient could keep

A while ago I came across a pair of truly spectacular and rare figures by Derby, which I had never seen before: Europa with the Bull, and Leda with the Swan. I offered them to a collector who now is the happy (and lucky) owner, and who has kindly agreed for me to show them to you - as I couldn't resist, they are so special! My special thanks to him. I've written before about how these figures used to adorn the dinner table, telling stories or entertaining the guests. A popula

Happy New Year everyone! I hope you've had a wonderful holiday period and starting the new year refreshed. Today I am catching up, after a few days complete rest, on my latest article in Homes & Antiques. This time it's about the "minor" factories of the early 19th Century, which actually played quite a major role in British porcelain. It is thought that in the early 19th Century there were about 300 factories in the Staffordshire Potteries, churning out huge numbers of beaut

A while ago I asked for help from all the readers of this blog to identify a pair of potpourri vases from about 1835-1840, which I had been told were Minton - but I was not sure they were. Previously, it had also been thought that they'd been made by Samuel Alcock, which certainly wasn't correct. How did we know that? The pattern numbers weren't right. But it was a mystery who made them. I've had these vases before, and have noticed them elsewhere, although they are rare. And

It is Christmas Eve and today there is no story about porcelain, but just some thoughts about the holidays... Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, or neither... aren't all these festivals essentially about the same thing? Compassion, a kind thought for those around you, some self-reflection, and most of all a joyful coming together and giving to everyone around us. For many, 2022 has not been the easiest year. But I find that in times of challenge giving is the ultimate

The holidays are upon us - and some of you will already have had several important holidays such as Thanksgiving or Hanukkah. Here in the Northern Hemisphere the days are now getting very short and temperatures have plummeted, making a cozy dinner with loved ones more attractive than ever. Or, if you are down under and hitting the middle of summer, what better than a long evening dinner on the terrace? To help you entertain I have lots of table services. There is nothing like

It's that time of the year... and if you are as busy and disorganised as me, you still need to get some very special gifts for those very special loved ones. It's not too late - shipping before Christmas is still possible. But after the second week of December it always gets more tricky, so I suggest you act quickly! Shipments anywhere in the UK or to the US generally take about 2 or 3 days at the moment, and I ship exclusively by DHL. I have made a special page with small gi