Minton Bird Tile

Pottery is one of the oldest decorative art forms, and Minton is one of its historical masters. For more than 250 years, the English company was a premier producer of porcelain and ceramic wares. Its factory was known for detailed and brightly colored Victorian tableware, including dinner plates and serving pieces.

Thomas Minton founded the Minton factory in 1793 in Stoke-upon-Trent, England. It initially made earthenware but introduced bone china in 1798. When Minton died in 1836, the company passed to his son, Herbert Minton. The younger Minton was a savvy businessman with an eye for design. He introduced glossy majolica earthenware to the factory’s repertoire and hired skilled artists and designers like Augustus Welby Northmore Pugin and Albert-Ernest Carrier-Belleuse, boosting the company’s reputation.

In 1851, Minton debuted its majolica at the Great Exhibition in London. It became a royal family favorite and was even used to tile the Royal Dairy at Windsor Home Park. Minton majolica was also displayed on the monumental Saint George and the dragon fountain at the 1862 London International Exhibition. 

Colin Minton Campbell, a nephew of Herbert Minton, took over the family business in 1858. He led the company to the head of the 1870s English art pottery movement. In the 1890s, French porcelain artist Marc-Louis Solon helped modernize Minton with his Art Nouveau designs.

Minton ceased operating as an independent company when it merged with Royal Doulton Tableware Ltd. in 1968. It was the end of an era, but not the end of widespread appreciation for Minton ceramics.

In 1982, the ”English Majolica” exhibition at the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum featured 75 Minton pieces. When the Metropolitan Museum of Art reopened its British Galleries in 2020, it included a display of three colorful Minton majolica bird sculptures. Minton pottery was also on display from September 2021 to January 2022, along with other English pottery, at the Bard Graduate Center’s ”Majolica Mania” exhibition.

On 1stDibs, find exquisite Minton serveware, decorative objects, wall decorations and more.

Antique, new and vintage decorative art is crucial to personalizing your interior.

Bringing art into your home will help you create a warm and welcoming atmosphere, whether you are expecting to regularly host guests for cocktails in your living room or you are inclined to soak up some “me time” on weekends by curling up with a book in your library. After all, a room isn’t quite complete until you hang some art on the walls.

Choosing a piece of art for your interior is a matter of finding something that resonates with you. You should also consider what will work with your current decor. Keep in mind that a wide range of objects counts as decorative art — antique and vintage prints, paintings, wall-mounted sculptures and more. There is so much to choose from! And art can feel as deeply personal with the vintage posters that promoted your favorite classic films as it can with framed photographs of your loved ones.

Decorative art can set the mood for a room and will typically make for great conversation. When you find wall decor and decorations that speak to you, why not introduce them into your space? It will give you and your guests the opportunity to meaningfully engage with the art every time you see it. You can play with different styles, eras and colors. Mix and match pieces to integrate a refreshing pop of color or create a theme by dedicating a room to a color palette or certain time period. A great way to tie your layout together is to choose wall art that complements your decor and color scheme.

Folk art is an interesting category for its wide range of works across various media and the array of textures it can offer. Paper art is another versatile option because it will be easy to find a home for portraits, collages, drawings and other works in your space. With decorative paper art, you can also get creative with how you arrange your wall art. There are plenty of options that include hanging the works salon-style.

On 1stDibs, find a constantly growing collection of antique and vintage decorative art today.