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 English Parian Porcelain Large Figure of Perseus Minton Staffordshire
By Minton
Located in Dublin, Ireland
An imposing English Parian unglazed Porcelain Standing Figure of Perseus firmly attributed to Minton and modelled by Victor Simyan, who was a French scu...
Ceramic, Porcelain
$956Sale Price|20% Off
Minton Parian Figure of Don Quixote's "Dorothea" by John Bell
By Minton, John Bell
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Minton Parian figure of Don Quixote's "Dorothea" by John Bell, a fine example of Parian, after a John Bell sculpture.
Ceramic
19th Century English Parian Group Of Mother & Child In Prayer By Minton
By Minton
Located in Dublin, IE
A very fine parian group of Mother and child, modeled as a mother praying over her sleeping child. Circa 1860 English Footnote: Minton ware, cream-colo...
Porcelain
$125
H 1.25 in W 1.75 in D 1.5 in
Petite English Victorian Period 19th Century Carved Wooden Bird Sculpted Group
Located in Atlanta, GA
A petite antique English Victorian period small carved wooden sculpted group from the 19th century depicting two small birds nesting with each other and accented with orange paint. C...
Wood
$716Sale Price|20% Off
H 9 in W 7 in D 4.5 in
19th Century English Diminutive Parian Bust of Apollo Belvedere
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
19th century English diminutive Parian bust of apollo Belvedere, a well executed example, raised on a 3-inch diameter solace base. Unmarked.
Ceramic
1990s Chinese Porcelain Figure Bust of Mao Zedong
Located in Marbella, ES
1990s Chinese porcelain figure bust of Mao Zedong, with stamp from Chinese customs authorizing its export.
Ceramic
Antique Parian Bust of Apollo 19th Century
Located in Rochester, NY
Parian bust of Apollo. After the antique Greek Roman original. 19th Century. grand tour
Ceramic, Porcelain
$440Sale Price|20% Off
H 8.5 in W 3.75 in D 4.25 in
Antique Parian Ware Classical Bisque Porcelain Figure C1880
Located in Big Flats, NY
Antique Parian Ware Classical Bisque Porcelain Figure of A Seated Woman with Bird C1880 Measures- 8.5"H x 3.75"W x 4.25"D
Porcelain
19th Century English Minton Majolica Oyster Plates Pair
By Minton
Located in Winter Park, FL
A pair of late 19th Century English Minton Majolica oyster plates with six oyster wells and a large well for crackers surrounding a center well for sauce. Luminous cream and pink gla...
Majolica
19th Century English Majolica Floral Jardiniere Minton
By Minton
Located in Austin, TX
19th Century Rare English Majolica Floral Jardiniere signed Minton. H / 7.2 inches , Diameter / 10.5 inches.
Ceramic
Pair of English Porcelain Staffordshire Dalmatian Dog Figurines
Located in Bradenton, FL
Pair of English Porcelain Hand-Painted Staffordshire Dalmatian Dogs Figurines. These figurines feature recumbent Dalmatian dogs with expressive faces and detailed features resting on...
Porcelain
$325Sale Price|45% Off
H 2.62 in W 19.62 in D 15.62 in
Mid 19th Century English Staffordshire Minton Pattern Platter
By Minton
Located in Chapel Hill, NC
Minton pattern Well & Tree of Life platter, English, Staffordshire, marked "New Stone" & BB (Best Body), date mark of 1858. Chip on one supporter. 19 5...
Ceramic
Pair of English Victorian Minton Porcelain Vases
Located in Queens, NY
Pair of English Victorian style rust ground porcelain Pilgrim flask vases with gilt accents & painted with birds & floral clasps (Minton, 1948) (PRICED AS Pair)
Porcelain
$1,000
H 7.88 in W 7.88 in D 0.38 in
Arts & Crafts Minton Pottery Kingfisher Tile Designed by Christopher Dresser
By Minton, Christopher Dresser
Located in Fort Lauderdale, FL
An Arts & Crafts Minton tile in the Kingfisher pattern, designed by Christopher Dresser, ca. 1870. Arts & Crafts designer Christopher Dresser’s works were true to the movement’s c...
Earthenware
19th Century Parian Figure
Located in Martlesham, GB
19th century Copeland parian figure group “Go to sleep” after J Durham, published by the Art Union of London, of a girl holding a dog. Some slight damage...
Ceramic
Sold
H 16.5 in W 8 in D 5.25 in
Mintons "Honour to the Brave" Parian Figure, Modeled After John Bell C. 1856
By John Bell, Minton
Located in Atlanta, GA
The “Honour to the Brave” Parian sculpture was modeled by John Bell (1811–1895), a prominent English sculptor. Bell is best known for designing the Crimean War memorial statues – inc...
Porcelain
Fine Antique Early 20th C Parian Figure, Woman with Gold Ball
By Minton
Located in New Orleans, LA
A fine, antique early 20th century Parian figure of a nude blond woman holding a gilt ball in her right hand. Fine attention to detail is seen in her delicately rendered fingers, fee...
Gold Leaf
Sold
H 13.25 in W 7.5 in D 7.5 in
Antique Pair Hexagon English Chamberlains Worcester Imari Vases Urns Green Gilt
By Minton
Located in Dublin, Ireland
An Imposing identical Pair of English Chamberlains Worcester Porcelain Vases of hexagon outline and generous proportions, complete with their original firm fitting covers. Circa last...
Porcelain, Pottery
Sold
H 13.5 in W 4.25 in D 4.25 in
Pair Minton Majolica Staffordshire Porcelain Birds Parakeets Cockrels Cockatoo
By Minton
Located in Dublin, Ireland
An exceptionally fine quality highly detailed pair of English pottery vivid Majolica Parrot Feathered Figures, firmly attributed to Mintons, last quarter of the Nineteenth Century. ...
Porcelain, Pottery
Sold
H 19 in W 7.5 in D 8.7 in
Pair Minton Majolica Putti Figures Allegorical of Time Passage, 1862, H-19ins
By Minton, Albert-Ernest Carrier-Belleuse
Located in Banner Elk, NC
A Pair of Minton Majolica Putti Figures Allegorical of the 'Begining of Time' and 'End of Time,' each seated on a stump and pedestal base glazed in green and brown leopard mottling, one cherub holding an hourglass (Beginning of Time) and the other a mop (End of Time), designed for Minton by sculptor Albert Carrier de Belleuse...
Majolica
Minton Porcelain and Bronze Sheikh Figurine, Arab with Falcon
By Minton
Located in Berlin, DE
A Minton porcelain and bronze sheikh figurine. Arab with falcon. Perfect condition.
Bronze
Pair of Mintons Majolica Parrots or Cockatoos
By Minton
Located in Chelmsford, Essex
Pair of Mintons Majolica figures which feature cockatoos/parrots perched on a branch. Coloration: green, ochre, puce, are predominant. N.B: Dimensions of each figure are depth 11cm; ...
English Minton Porcelain Figure of Una and the Lion, 1847
By John Bell, Minton
Located in Lambertville, NJ
Minton England white Parian statuette of una and the lion with full-length nude female figure sitting cross-legged on cloak on back of a lion the female with long hair looking out an...
Porcelain
"Una and the Lion" Minton Biscuit Porcelain Figure
By Minton
Located in Rochester, NY
Very fine Minton parian porcelain group, Una removes the thorn from the lion. 19th century, incised Minton on the bottom.
Porcelain
Sold
H 7.75 in W 5 in D 5.5 in
Minton Majolica Carrier-Belleuse's Hogarth Figural Salt Cellars / Match Pots S/2
By Minton
Located in Philadelphia, PA
A pair of 19th century Majolica figural salt cellars or match holders, known as the Hogarth Couple, designed by the French sculptor Albert-Ernest Carrier-Belleuse for Minton, Stoke-u...
Earthenware