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 Minton Tile Splashback
By Minton
Located in Wormelow, Herefordshire
A set of 32 reclaimed Minton tiles, ideal for use as an antique tile splashback, entranceway floor or fireplace hearth in a period cottage or Victorian...
Clay
Minton & Co Encaustic Tile Panel by A. W. N. Pugin
By Minton
Located in Wormelow, Herefordshire
A set of nine 6-inch by 6-inch neo-medieval encaustic tiles by Minton & Co (stamped); an exact match to an identical set in the British Museum attributed to architect and designer, A...
Clay
Antique Indian Embroidered Dress Band
Located in London, GB
This wonderful embroidered band was created in India in the early 19th Century. The band was originally designed to form part of a skirt or dress. It still may be used for this purpo...
Silk, Satin
Antique Chinese Embroidery Tapestry
Located in Saint Ouen, FR
Beautiful antique embroidery from China late 19th century with very nice Chinese design with birds, flowers and personages, and beautiful purple color silk foundation, entirely hand ...
Silk
Islamic Antique Qajar Blue Tile with Koranic Script 19th C.
Located in Moreno Valley, CA
Antique 19th century Qajar blue tile with Islamic calligraphy writing. Antique 19th century Islamic Koranic calligraphy with Koranic script. Qajar dynasty, a blue and white Islamic ...
Ceramic, Pottery
Chinese Hokkien Style Ceramic Roof Tile Fragment, Nicely Mounted
Located in Milford, NH
A fine Chinese Hokkien style polychrome ceramic roof tile fragment of a warrior on a dragon with metal spear, nicely mounted to a custom solid acrylic stand. Probably dates to the ea...
Ceramic
Antique Indigo Mali Textile
Located in New York, NY
African Mali indigo textile circa 1950. Handwoven, vegetable dyed cotton. We only select the best. This soft textile was sourced in the spirit of Wabi-Sabi, a Japanese philosophy th...
Cotton
Antique Indigo Mali Textile
Located in New York, NY
African Mali indigo textile circa 1950. Handwoven, vegetable dyed cotton. We only select the best. This soft textile was sourced in the spirit of Wabi-Sabi, a Japanese philosophy th...
Cotton
$132Sale Price|20% Off
H 8.75 in W 3.25 in D 4.5 in
Mid-Century Modern Green Ceramic Vase by Dee Bee Co, Japan, 1950s
Located in Cordova, SC
A green Japanese-made ceramic vase with an abstract design circling the top half. The piece is in great shape with no chips or cracks or discoloration. You may notice what looks like...
Ceramic
$425
H 10.75 in W 8.75 in D 0.75 in
Vintage Ceramic Tile Wall Hanging, Hand-Painted East Asian Art, 1960
Located in Delray Beach, FL
Exceptional tile all hand-painted and glazed with beautiful scenery of birds flying between colorful vines and flowers on a cream color background. Could hang on the wall. Great obj...
Ceramic
Late 19th-Early 20th Century Chinese Roof Tile
Located in Houston, TX
Late 19th-Early 20th Century Chinese Roof Tile. Our lovely antique Chinese glazed pottery or porcelain roof tile depicts a warrior ridin...
Clay, Pottery
Pair Antique Chinese or Thai Roof Tiles
Located in Pasadena, CA
This is a highly decorative pair of antique Chinese or Thai Roof Tiles. The tiles are glazed in a gorgeous shade of mustard-yellow and are in very good original condition. They are m...
Cement
Late 19th-Early 20th Century Chinese Roof Tile
Located in Houston, TX
Late 19th-Early 20th Century Chinese Roof Tile. Our lovely antique Chinese glazed pottery or porcelain roof tile depicts a warrior riding on a donke...
Pottery
Hand-Painted Vintage Ceramic Tile Wall Hanging from East Asia, 1960
Located in Delray Beach, FL
Exceptional tile all hand-painted and glazed with beautiful scenery of colorful bird vines and flowers on a camel color background. All surrounding by very intricate border. Could ha...
Ceramic
Sold
H 6 in W 6 in D 0.38 in
Four Aesthetic Movement Transfer Printed Minton Tiles BY L.T. SWETNAM Circa 1890
By Minton
Located in Ottawa, Ontario
LOT OF FOUR AESTHETIC MOVEMENT TRANSFER PRINTED MINTON TILES FROM A LANDSCAPES SERIES ‘ TOWN AND RIVER’ BY L.T. SWETNAM Circa 1890. Detailed tondo sepia renderings of rustic sceneri...
Ceramic