Minton Majolica Eight-Piece Tea Set of the Famous ‘Mushroom and Coconut’ Design

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Minton Majolica Eight-Piece Tea Set of the Famous ‘Mushroom and Coconut’ Design

About the Item

This Majolica ‘mushroom and coconut’ tea set by Minton is an extremely rare design and even rarer is finding a complete set with its original tray! Majolica is a 14th-15th century Italian product and refers to the colorful glazes used on pottery. It was marketed as Majolica because pottery was viewed as something for the masses or less expensive. Pottery clay is a different structure and has to be fired at a much lower temperature (thus cheaper to produce) as in the red clay Chinese teapots which is what is under the Majolica glaze. In the case of this Minton tea set, this type of pottery was known as Minton's art pottery and more specifically, in a naturalistic style where the design tries to get as close to nature as possible. Some of their famous work include the Comolera Minton peacock which in my opinion, this complete tea set is as magnificent and if not rarer than the Comolera Majolica peacocks. The “diamond-mark” impressed on the base of the tea set, which indicates that the design was registered at the Patent Office, and that this ceramic (Class IV refers to ceramics) design was registered on 5th November 1872. The year cypher indicated it was made in 1873. The teapot is inspired by a yellow unripened coconut with branches as its handle and feet, a green leaf enclosing the spout and a cover with a mushroom as the handle. The Minton ‘Mushroom and Coconut’ teapot design were more commonly produced in porcelain, while only two Majolica examples have been accounted for. The base of of the sugar bowl and saucer is decorated with a lily pad. In 2015, the teapot alone sold for USD 4,100.

Creator:
Minton (Maker)
Dimensions:
Height: 11.82 in (30 cm)Width: 39.38 in (100 cm)Depth: 23.63 in (60 cm)
Style:
Other (Of the Period)
Materials and Techniques:
Majolica,Pottery,Glazed,Hand-Crafted
Place of Origin:
United Kingdom
Period:
Late 19th Century
Date of Manufacture:
1873
Condition:
There is a small peeling of the glaze on the handle of the teapot.
Seller Location:
Chudleigh, AU
Reference Number:
1stDibs: LU239936352463