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.
Pair of Minton Blue Gilt Ground Porcelain Urns
By Minton
Located in New York, NY
Pair of bleu celeste ground porcelain vases with fluted necks and four painted scenes of what appears to be two young members of the high court on the front and back of each vase. Th...
Bronze, Gold Leaf
$3,450Sale Price / set|22% Off
Pair of English 19th Century Turquoise Ground Painted Porcelain Urns by Minton
By Edouard Rischgitz, Minton
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A fine pair of English 19th century turquoise ground and parcel-gilt painted porcelain urn vases, urns by Minton. The tapered shaped urns raised on a slender stem with turquoise grou...
Porcelain
19th Century Aqua Majolica Square Minton Jardiniere
By Minton
Located in Austin, TX
Aqua Minton Majolica square jardiniere with stand the square sectioned jardiniere simply decorated with a cattail on each corner. H / 7.8 inches. 6.4 by 6.4 inches.
Ceramic
Large 19th Century Gilt/ Painted Porcelain Pair Urn
Located in Tarry Town, NY
Large pair early 19th Century gild hand painted and crafted porcelain covered decorative urns / vases . Each urn features exterior painted scene details with gilt gold side handles. Each signed with pseudo sevres mark...
Gold
19th Century Pair Porcelain Vases / Urns
Located in Tarry Town, NY
19th century pair of French figural glazed porcelain vases / urns with exterior gilt painted design scene details. Each vase / urn is in good condition. No chips, cracks, or restoration observed. Minor wear consistent with age / use. Each one stands about 19.5 inches tall x 8 inches wide X 4.5 deep pair of French figural porcelain...
Gold
$3,900 / set
H 19.5 in Dm 11 in
Pair of 19th Century French Blue Porcelain and Gilt Bronze Sèvres Urns Vases
By Manufacture Nationale de Sèvres
Located in Dallas, TX
Decorate a mantel or a console with this important pair of porcelain and bronze Sèvres urns. Created in Paris, France, circa 1870, each impressive vase sits on a square bronze base w...
Bronze
Pair Minton Majolica Lily Jardinieres
By Minton
Located in Chelmsford, Essex
Pair of Minton Majolica jardinières which feature lilies. The flower stems growing up from the feet, into flowering blooms, the ground in the form of leaves. Colouration: green, pink...
Majolica
$3,450 / set
H 19 in W 9.25 in D 7.5 in
Pair of French Paris Porcelain Chinoiserie Gilt and Cerulean Blue Ground Vases
Located in San Francisco, CA
a large and elegant pair of Louis XVI Style urns with hand-painted gilt decoration depicting Chinese figures in a tranquil landscape setting; fitted with gilt pistol handles at the s...
Porcelain
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
Pair of English Antique Hand-Painted Porcelain Urns, Late 19th Century
Located in Montreal, QC
Each two handled urn is painted with a romantic view, one a castle, the other a country cottage, within a shaped gilt and yellow border. on a molded and cobalt-blue ground. The back is gilt with a stylized design, the base is molded with acanthus. Each is numbered in red 155 underneath. These perhaps adorned an early 19th century mantelpiece...
Porcelain
Pair of Large 19th Century English Cast Iron Urns
Located in Gloucestershire, GB
Large pair of late 19th Century English impressive cast iron urns, retaining the original paint. This size is not often seen definite statement pieces for the garden. Circa 1890.
Iron
Pair of Minton Majolica Spring Daffodil Vases
By Minton
Located in Chelmsford, Essex
Pair of Minton Majolica vases which feature daffodils stood on bulb feet. Cobalt blue ground version. Colouration: cobalt blue, green, white, are predominant. The piece bears maker's...
Majolica
$1,672
H 17 in W 8.5 in D 8.5 in
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
Pair of 19th Century Victorian Cobalt Vases Minton
By Minton
Located in Austin, TX
Pair of 19th Century Victorian Cobalt Vases Minton. Decorated with white flowers.
Ceramic
Sold
H 11.75 in W 6.25 in D 4.5 in
Antique English Minton Classical Hand Painted & Gilt Porcelain Covered Urn 19thC
By Minton
Located in Big Flats, NY
An antique English Minton covered urn offers Classical hand-painted reserves with a woman drawing water and, en verso, a cherub, on swirled pink strip groun...
Porcelain, Paint
Sold
H 10.25 in W 12 in D 9.25 in
Minton Majolica Wine Cooler with Fauns, Oak Garlands on Cobalt, Dated 1865
By Minton
Located in Banner Elk, NC
Minton Majolica wine cooler, the spiral-lobed body glazed in cobalt blue, with applied oak leaf garlands and two fauns forming the handles, the neck banded with naturalistic oak bran...
Majolica
Minton Porcelain Ewer, Painted with a Child on a Blue and Gilt Ground
By Minton
Located in Montreal, QC
This is surely among Minton's best work this elegant jug is in cobalt blue, sumptuously gilt with trailing leaves, and a mask, jeweled at the neck, and on a square gilt base. The ova...
Porcelain
Minton Majolica Mythological Bacchanal Cup, circa 1859
By Minton
Located in Philadelphia, PA
An antique majolica urn form wine cup, Minton, circa 1859. A rare high relief cup shown in Cobalt blue with a pink interior. Molded around the body in a classic Mythological theme ar...
Ceramic