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.
Fine Pair of 19th Century Cobalt-Blue and Parcel-Gilt Majolica Figural Vases
By Minton
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A very fine pair of 19th century cobalt-blue and parcel-gilt majolica figural vases, with figures of satyrs and gilt decorations of flowers and butterflies. Probably English, circa 1...
Ceramic
Continental 19th-20th Century Porcelain Cachepot Planter Vases Wine Coolers Pair
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A large pair of continental 19th-20th century porcelain cachepot vases, Planters or Wine Coolers, each decorated with mountain and lakefront scenes with horse drawn carriages and a p...
Porcelain
Pair French/Chinese 19th Century Louis XVI Style Ormolu-Mounted Porcelain Vases
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A very fine and impressive pair of French 19th century Louis XVI style ormolu-mounted blue-glazed enamel over bronze vases with allegorical masks, rings and wreaths. The porcelain is...
Bronze, Ormolu
Pair Louis XVI Style Chinese-Export Ormolu Mounted Famille Rose Porcelain Vases
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A fine pair of Louis XVI style chinoiserie gilt-bronze mounted Chinese export famille rose porcelain vases. The ovoid hand painted porcelain body with dual scenes of a sword presenta...
Ormolu
Pair French 19th C. Gilt-Bronze & Marble Urns, After Pierre Gouthière - Belanger
By Pierre Gouthiere
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A Very Fine Pair of French 19th Century Gilt-Bronze and Veined-Green Greek Marble Pair of Royal Urns, after the model by Pierre Gouthière (French, 1732-1813) and a design by François...
Marble, Bronze, Ormolu
Impressive Pair 19th Century Japanese Meiji Period Export Blue Porcelain Vases
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A Large and Impressive 19th Century Pair of Japanese Meiji Period Export Blue-Celeste, White and Porcelain Vases. The ornately decorated bottle-shaped celadon vases, each with feline decorations amongst tree-branches and parcel-gilt and ruby-red painted flowers. The bottom of one signed in Japanese “Dai...
Porcelain
Pair of Sevres Hand Painted Turquoise Porcelain Lidded Urns
By Manufacture Nationale de Sèvres
Located in Guaynabo, PR
This is a pair of Sevres hand painted porcelain turquoise lidded urns. Both of them are depicting in the front a sea shore fishermen scenes. In one, a group of fishermen are preparing a sailboat and in the other one, they are pulling the net. The back are adorned with some gilt fishing tools and baskets with foliages. Both scenes are golden framed with scrolls of acanthus and flowers beside them. Gilt white concave long oval shaped rings alternated with gilt foliages and shamrocks decorate the necks of the urns. The same pattern are repeated in the lids, but no white color in the center. The bell shaped lids ended with pinecones finials. A mix of scrolls and Greek keys serve as handles. The round bases are also decorated with gilt foliages. The Sevres hallmark appears in the lids and below the bases. One of the urn’s painting...
Porcelain
Pair of 19th Century French Gilt Bronze-Mounted Turquoise Ground Painted Vases
Located in Tarzana, CA
A Pair of 19th Century French Gilt Bronze Mounted Turquoise Ground Painted Vases with Lids Circa 1880 Origin: France Height: 11" Width: 7" Depth: 6" Style: Louis XV ...
19th Century Pair of Sèvres Style Gilt Bronze Mounted Turquoise Porcelain Vases
Located in New York, NY
Beautifully hand painted with lovers to the front and a bouquet to the reverse and with figural ormolu-mounted handles. Date: 19th century Origin: French Dimension: 27 in. x 14 in.
Ormolu
Pair of French Porcelain Gilt and Sky Blue Covered Urns, Sevres, circa 1860
Located in New York, NY
With adorned caryated figures as handles.
Porcelain
Antique Pair of French Bleu Celeste Porcelain Urns 19th Century
Located in London, GB
This is a fine and rare antique pair of French porcelain ormolu mounted twin handled urns in the Sevres manner, dating from Circa 1860. The decorative twin handle vases are super...
Ormolu
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
