- Condition: Excellent
- Price: £225 (approx $339)
- Ref: 03711
A rarely found tile glazed both sides and made as a
pot stand to compliment a dinner service, the Naturalist
design service printed in black and hand tinted in
vibrant colours. A most famous design and perhaps one of
the most expensive designs of all time, few others than
Minton & Co could justify such expense. From the
selection of motifs comprising the design we have a
colourful group of butterflies.
Designed by the noted W S Coleman in 1870 and this
tile produced soon after these are rare for a number of
reasons primary perhaps are the early date and the usage
of the item for it was intended to bear the weight of hot
and heavy pans etc upon the dining table. Being made for
such use few will have survived compared to tiles fitted
in to furniture etc which are protected by their frames.
Verso has a florid identification mark, the registration
number and artist identification.
The image below is from the National
Archives who describe it thus:
Ornamental design for a dinner service.
This design is usually referred to as the 'Naturalist'
service. These striking designs were prepared for Minton
by the artist WS Coleman [William Stephen
Coleman]. Minton paid Coleman a fee of £200 for
the designs. Using the retail price index £200 in
1870 would be worth over £12,000 today. Compared
with average earnings in 1870, £200 would be worth
over £100,000, a significant amount to be paid for
one design. This design is illustrated Joan Jones Minton,
The First Two Hundred Years of Design & Production,
Swan Hill Press, 1993, page 67.
Condition is excellent, a few tiny edge chips and very
light surface marks negligible damage given the raison
d'être of the piece to support heavy serving dishes
on the dining table.
• Style/technique:
Nature study print & tint
• Manufacturer: Minton & Co
• Designed by: W S Coleman
• Dimensions: 8" x
8"
• Date: design registered 1870
