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.
12 Minton Art Nouveau Sterling Silver Overlay Service or Dinner Plates
By Minton
Located in Great Barrington, MA
This set of 12 Minton service plates is a rare example of Minton's sterling silver overlay. Most silver overlay was made by other porcelain manufacturer...
Porcelain, Paste
$5,800 / set
H 1 in Dm 10 in
12 Heavily Gilt Encrusted Antique Green & Gold Minton England Dinner Plates
By Minton
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A gorgeous set ! Please click on the pictures to see the detail and enlarge. Heavy raised paste gilding on a vibrant green collar and custom ordered through the fine Gilded Age Retai...
Gold, Enamel
$29,963Sale Price / set|24% Off
H 1 in Dm 10 in
1767 Sebastian & James Crespell 'George III' Set of 12 Sterling Silver Plates
By Sebastian James Crespell
Located in North Miami, FL
Presenting an exquisite set of twelve English silver dinner plates, dating back to the 18th century (1767) during the reign of King George III. These remarkable pieces of craftsmansh...
Sterling Silver
$950 / set
H 0.75 in Dm 10.5 in
Set of 12 Noritake Morimura Gilt Dinner or Service Plates, Ex-Seidenberg
By Noritake
Located in Philadelphia, PA
A fine set of 12 Noritake porcelain dinner plates. With transfer painted polychrome flowers to the center & rim, green Rococo style decoration, and raised gold highlights. (Labeled to the reverse with an old Seidenberg sticker pricing the set at $2250.) Simply a wonderful set of dinner service plates! Date: Mid-20th Century Overall Condition: They are in overall good, as-pictured, used estate condition with no chips, cracks, or repairs. Condition Details: There is some noticeable rubbing to the inner gold ring in the centers of most plates. There is some minor rubbing and losses to gilding high points in the raised gold decoration and one small noticeable (a little bit deeper) half-inch scratch to one plate. Otherwise, there are some fine & light surface scratches and other signs of expected light wear consistent with age. Maker: Noritake Morimura Brothers...
Porcelain
12 Antique Minton England Cobalt Blue & Gold Salad or Dessert Plates
By Minton
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A classic and elegant set of 12 plates by Mintons, England featuring a nice wide collar of cobalt blue surrounded by two 24 karat gold acid etched bands. In wonderful antique conditi...
Gold, Enamel
$920Sale Price / set|20% Off
H 0.75 in Dm 10.5 in
Set of Six Sterling Silver Overlay Service Dinner Plates
By Lenox's Ceramic Art Company
Located in Lambertville, NJ
A set of elegant sterling silver overlay service plates with the pre-1930 Lenox green mark. This opulent set is early 20th century, circa 1915 in an Edward...
Sterling Silver
$2,400 / set
H 1 in Dm 10.6 in
16 Minton England Dinner Plates, Vintage Gold Encrusted "Porcelain Ball"
By Minton
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A classic and elegant set of 16 dinner plates by Minton, England. Crisp white porcelain with a double gilt encrusted band with 24 karat additional gold floral design in their collars...
Gold
$6,400 / set
H 1 in Dm 10.5 in
12 Minton Cobalt Blue Gilt Encrusted Dinner Plates, Custom Antique, circa 1900
By Minton
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
An impressive set of 12 dinner or presentation plates by one of the Gilded Age's re known factories: Minton England. This set was custom ordered through the storied New York retailer...
Gold, Enamel
$1,575 / item
W 10.5 in D 10.5 in
Wonderful Service 12 Minton Ovington's Raised Gold Hand Painted Dinner Plates
By Minton, Ovington Brother At New York
Located in Roslyn, NY
A Wonderful Service Of 12 Minton Raised Gold Hand Painted Dinner Plates Retailed By Ovington's New York, Seem To Have Never Been Used Some Retaining Original Sticker.
Porcelain
$3,200 / set
H 1 in Dm 9 in
12 Minton England Antique Custom Cobalt Blue Raised Gold Salad or Dessert Plates
By Minton
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
From the storied Gilded Age firm of Minton, England we have 12 elegant cobalt blue with raised gilding plates that were custom ordered through the retailer Davis, Collamore and Compa...
Gold, Enamel
$5,400 / set
H 0.75 in Dm 10.25 in
12 Antique Minton England Elaborate Cobalt Jewel & Gilt Encrusted Dinner Plates
By Minton
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
An elegant set of twelve dinner or presentation plates by the fine porcelain firm of Minton's of England. Custom ordered through the prestigious retailer of William Plummer, New York...
Enamel, Gold
Large English Porcelain Dinner Service, Minton, circa 1845
Located in New York, NY
With a soft turquoise ground, painted with a fine spray of flowers, with gilt scroll and dash borders. Comprising pair of covered tureens and stands, pair of vegetable tureens, well and tree platter...
Porcelain
$6,000 / set
H 1 in Dm 10.5 in
12 Minton England French Enamel Custom Dinner Plates T Goode London Circa 1950's
By Minton
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
An elegant set of 12 dinner plates from the re known porcelain factory Minton England and custom ordered through London's premier table top retailer T Goode & ...
Gold, Enamel