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.
Minton Majolica Mushroom Tazza with Three-Frog Base, English, Dated 1868
By Minton
Located in Banner Elk, NC
Minton Majolica Taza, molded as an inverted mushroom, the bowl interior glazed in orange, with three naturalistically modeled and glazed frogs around the stem,...
Majolica
Minton Majolica Pigeon Centrepiece Bowl
By Minton
Located in Chelmsford, Essex
Minton Majolica centrepiece bowl which features three pigeons perched on a leafy oak branch, supporting a large basketweave bowl on their fan tails. Bowl is decorated with oak leaves...
Majolica
Minton Majolica Putti Figural Bowl
By Minton
Located in Chelmsford, Essex
Minton Majolica figural bowl which features putti holding leafy garlands, supporting the bowl. Colouration: cobalt blue, green, cream, are predom...
Earthenware
Minton Secessionist No.8 Chamber Pot
By Minton
Located in Chelmsford, Essex
Minton Secessionist No.8 chamber pot decorated with Art Nouveau style tree motifs. Glazed in blue, ochre and green with gray tube lining. Cream int...
Earthenware
Minton Secessionist Chamber Pot
By Minton
Located in Chelmsford, Essex
Minton Secessionist chamber pot. Decorated with motifs in the Art Nouveau style. Glazed in turquoise, ochre, brown and blue. Green tube lining. Mak...
Pottery
Vintage Ceramic Pot
Located in Seattle, WA
Vintage Ceramic Pot Dimensions. 9 1/2 W ; 8 D ; 4 H.
Ceramic
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
Baccarat Crystal & Ormolu Figural Putti Centerpiece
By Baccarat
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Baccarat Crystal and Ormolu Figural Putti Centerpiece France, circa 1890s A stunning Baccarat crystal and ormolu figural putti centerpiece is a masterful example of late 19th-centur...
Crystal, Ormolu
Rare Minton Majolica Posy Vase, circa 1875
By Minton
Located in Austin, TX
Rare Minton Majolica Posy small vase modelled as three upright yellow bamboo canes all supported on an earthy ground.
Ceramic, Faience, Majolica
$408Sale Price|50% Off
H 5.52 in W 11.03 in D 11.03 in
Antique Victorian Historism Majolica Pedestal Bowl / Centerpiece Knights Dragons
By Villeroy & Boch
Located in Bad Säckingen, DE
This antique Historism centerpiece / pedestal bowl is made of polychrom glazed majolica and features four cartouches decorated with high relief knight helmets and dragons. The manufa...
Ceramic, Majolica
Huge Minton Majolica Vase
By Minton
Located in Litchfield, CT
Circa 1870, by Minton, England. A gorgeous example of English porcelain, this monumental vase is a Victorian Aesthetic movement tour de force. Majolica by Minton is known for its del...
Porcelain
Murano art glass decorative centrepiece bowl
By Murano Glass Sommerso
Located in Toronto, ON
Amazing murano decorative Center piece bowl made with varying colored art glass. This decorative piece was made in the 1970s by murano artisans using the sommerso technique. This mur...
Art Glass
Victorian Majolica Jardiniere Renaissance Minton, circa 1876
By Minton
Located in Austin, TX
Classical style for this large Majolica jardiniere or table centre signed Minton and dated 1876 cherubs handles and masks on each side of Renaissance Revival. On the middle of 19th c...
Majolica, Ceramic
Vintage Italian Majolica Lemon Trellis Bowl
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
This charming Italian majolica basket bowl captures the sunny elegance of the Mediterranean with artisanal grace. Handcrafted with a delicate lattice-weave or "trellis" design, the c...
Ceramic
English Minton Ancestral Bone China Floral Saucer or Trinket Dish, England
By Minton
Located in Oklahoma City, OK
A beautiful bone china saucer or trinket dish in Minton's "Ancestral" pattern. With scalloped edges, painted in gold, and a floral green, red, and brown...
Ceramic, Porcelain, Paint
$1,233
H 4.73 in W 10.04 in D 10.04 in
Antique Japanese Imari Porcelain Bowl Decorative Meiji Period Centrepiece
Located in Suffolk, GB
A striking antique Japanese Imari porcelain bowl of generous proportions beautifully hand painted in the traditional Imari palette of rich cobalt blue iron red and soft gilded highli...
Porcelain
Pair Minton Porcelain Chinoiserie Plates Hand Painted England Circa 1805
By Minton
Located in Katonah, NY
Made in England circa 1805, this pair of early Minton porcelain plates is decorated with an exceptionally rich Chinoiserie design of flowering plants, bamboo, and boldly colored foli...
Porcelain
19th Century Minton Majolica Rabbits Centerpiece
By Minton
Located in Austin, TX
19th Century Minton Majolica Rabbits Centerpiece. Charming aqua ceramic with white bunnies and leaves.
Ceramic
Minton Majolica Mushroom Tazza with Three-Frog Base, English, Dated 1868
By Minton
Located in Banner Elk, NC
Minton Majolica Taza, molded as an inverted mushroom, the bowl interior glazed in orange, with three naturalistically modeled and glazed frogs around the stem,...
Majolica
Sold
H 6.5 in W 11 in D 7 in
Antique 19th Century Minton Majolica Centerpiece Tazza with Doves & Cherubs 1861
By Minton
Located in Portland, OR
A good antique Minton Majolica centerpiece/tazza, 1861. The centerpiece with a flanged shaped shallow dish supported with a pair of winged cher...
Maiolica
Minton Majolica Large Fruit Bowl with Three Pigeons Support, English, Dated 1870
By Minton
Located in Banner Elk, NC
Minton Majolica fruit bowl, 12-ins. Dia., formed as a blind latticework basket with a turquoise interior, with a daisy chain molded rim, supported ...
Majolica
Minton Majolica Rabbits with Leaf Dish
By Minton
Located in Chelmsford, Essex
Minton Majolica figural bowl which features two rabbits amongst foliage, supporting a leaf. Colouration: turquoise, green, white, are predominant...
Majolica
Minton Majolica Pottery Gourd or Pumpkin Shaped Bowl Dated 1862
By Minton
Located in Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire
A fine and scarce Minton majolica gourd or pumpkin shaped pottery bowl decorated in colored glazes and dated 1862. The bowl of rounded form has a molded ribbed body with the base rec...
Pottery
Large Minton Bowl Hand-Painted with Chinoiserie Scene, England, Circa 1820
By Minton
Located in Katonah, NY
This large Minton bowl was made of pearl glazed creamware circa 1820. The center of the bowl shows a lovely chinoiserie scene. Two pairs of mothers with their sons stand close to o...
Earthenware
Minton Secessionist No.36 Pail with Drainer
By Minton
Located in Chelmsford, Essex
Minton Secessionist Bucket or Pail with a Drainer insert. Decorated with Art Nouveau style geometric and floral motifs. Blue, green and yellow glazes. Original bamboo handle. Removab...
Earthenware
Art Nouveau Minton Secessionist Wash Jug with Bowl No.8
By Minton
Located in Chelmsford, Essex
Minton Secessionist No.8 jug and wash bowl. Decorated in shades of blue, orange and green. Grey tube lined art nouveau stylized motifs. Cream interio...
Earthenware
Art Nouveau Minton Secessionist No.8 Sponge Dish
By Minton
Located in Chelmsford, Essex
Mintons Secessionist No.8 twin handled sponge dish with removable drainer. Decorated with orange, blues and green art nouveau stylized patterns. Grey tube ...
Pottery
Large Minton Secessionist No.19 Jug and Wash Bowl
By Minton
Located in Chelmsford, Essex
Minton Secessionist No.19 jug and wash bowl. Decorated in shades of blue and yellow with grey tube lined art nouveau flower motifs. Cream interior to...
Earthenware
Large Minton Secessionist No.35 Jug and Wash Bowl
By Minton
Located in Chelmsford, Essex
Minton secessionist No.35 jug and wash bowl. Decorated in shades of green and brown with green tube lined Art Nouveau motifs. Cream interior to both....
Earthenware