English Chintz Milk Jug by Sadler
@ by the author
Will Chintz China become Popular Again?
At one time, collecting "chintz" china was very much the "in" thing. The term "chintz" has its origins in India (the Indian word was chintes), and was originally the name for a cotton fabric with an all-over floral print in vibrant colors. By the beginning of the Edwardian era (prior to WWI), serving and drinking tea or eating off fine English china in these floral patterns was the rage. Its revival in the 1990s as a hot collectible meant dealers and collectors hunted avidly for the prettiest or the most unusual patterns.
Although the china with the tiny all-over flower pattern has been produced around the world (including Germany, Japan, Czechoslovakia and now China), the most sought-after vintage versions are from the Staffordshire factories in England. The most desirable chintz ware was produced by James Kent, Crown Ducal, Lord Nelson and Royal Winton. Chintz fabric was extremely popular during the late 1800s and the first two or three decades of the 20th century. Matching one's tea service to one's linens or upholstery seemed to be marketing genius. The American distributors eagerly joined the trend by requesting entire dinner services.
Transfer Techniques Made Production Easier
Chintz, once confined to wallpaper and slipcovers, became a popular china pattern in the early part of this century when artisans would cut a pattern from floral lithographs and apply it to a dish or cup, matching flowers perfectly ... just like matching wallpaper strips. Using transfers was less expensive than hand-painting and many potteries and porcelain manufacturers had been using the transfer process for over one hundred years.
Because new patterns were constantly in demand, the manufacturers turned to such tricks of the trade as changing the background color of a popular pattern from yellow to black or from black to white, thus extending the life of a successful pattern without expending much money on new patterns. Hundreds of patterns were developed, and Royal Winton, for instance, produced over 80 chintz patterns in the course of 50 years.
English bone china tea cups and saucers were a popular tourist souvenir for those visiting the British Isles or Canada. Many of the sets in my collection came from Ottawa, Toronto, and Kingston in the 1950s.
Some of the least favorite among modern collectors were extremely successful when first introduced in the 1920s. But buyer beware: new and reproduction chintz is appearing that is very difficult to distinguish from the old pieces. It's not very expensive and if all you want is the "look", head to dollar stores or the Internet auction sites for bargains. Full dinner sets can be found quite cheaply, and serviceable cups and saucers (that go in the dishwasher) are only a couple of dollars a set.
You'll feel the difference, however, between the reproductions and a real piece of chintz ware from the early 20th century. English bone china, from which most mid-century and earlier tea sets were produced, is translucent - you can clearly see the silhouette of your hand through the wall of the cup. It feels more delicate, and the shapes are often quite unique.
The Vicissitudes of Chintz Collecting
After the Second World War, factories which had suspended production of chintz ware for the war effort began manufacturing chintz ware once again. But it had suffered from its quaintness - new buyers wanted modern china. Scandinavian furniture, plastic, and abstract art predominated the scene. By the end of the 1940s, chintz ware had lost its preeminence. Ironically, two generations later, it is once again in demand. Such influential style magazines as Victoria have reproduced tea patterns for sale to collectors of anything Victorian or "shabby chic."
Today, in the early 21st century, tea drinking is also experiencing a wide revival, as is the popularity of the tea party for entertaining small groups of friends. Certainly the appropriate teapots and serving ware should be acquired to go along with these trends! It should be much easier to find patterns and styles you like on the Web and in antique shops going for reasonable prices, to complete or expand your collection.
Good resources:
Chintz, by Susan Scott. Scott wrote The Charlton Catalogue of Chintz-Third Edition. This is a great site, with detailed history and photos.
Athlyn Green's English Chintz: excellent article with pictures of good examples.
Journal of Antiques: Collecting Chintz China (2000)
Although the china with the tiny all-over flower pattern has been produced around the world (including Germany, Japan, Czechoslovakia and now China), the most sought-after vintage versions are from the Staffordshire factories in England. The most desirable chintz ware was produced by James Kent, Crown Ducal, Lord Nelson and Royal Winton. Chintz fabric was extremely popular during the late 1800s and the first two or three decades of the 20th century. Matching one's tea service to one's linens or upholstery seemed to be marketing genius. The American distributors eagerly joined the trend by requesting entire dinner services.
Transfer Techniques Made Production Easier
Chintz, once confined to wallpaper and slipcovers, became a popular china pattern in the early part of this century when artisans would cut a pattern from floral lithographs and apply it to a dish or cup, matching flowers perfectly ... just like matching wallpaper strips. Using transfers was less expensive than hand-painting and many potteries and porcelain manufacturers had been using the transfer process for over one hundred years.
Because new patterns were constantly in demand, the manufacturers turned to such tricks of the trade as changing the background color of a popular pattern from yellow to black or from black to white, thus extending the life of a successful pattern without expending much money on new patterns. Hundreds of patterns were developed, and Royal Winton, for instance, produced over 80 chintz patterns in the course of 50 years.
English bone china tea cups and saucers were a popular tourist souvenir for those visiting the British Isles or Canada. Many of the sets in my collection came from Ottawa, Toronto, and Kingston in the 1950s.
Some of the least favorite among modern collectors were extremely successful when first introduced in the 1920s. But buyer beware: new and reproduction chintz is appearing that is very difficult to distinguish from the old pieces. It's not very expensive and if all you want is the "look", head to dollar stores or the Internet auction sites for bargains. Full dinner sets can be found quite cheaply, and serviceable cups and saucers (that go in the dishwasher) are only a couple of dollars a set.
You'll feel the difference, however, between the reproductions and a real piece of chintz ware from the early 20th century. English bone china, from which most mid-century and earlier tea sets were produced, is translucent - you can clearly see the silhouette of your hand through the wall of the cup. It feels more delicate, and the shapes are often quite unique.
The Vicissitudes of Chintz Collecting
After the Second World War, factories which had suspended production of chintz ware for the war effort began manufacturing chintz ware once again. But it had suffered from its quaintness - new buyers wanted modern china. Scandinavian furniture, plastic, and abstract art predominated the scene. By the end of the 1940s, chintz ware had lost its preeminence. Ironically, two generations later, it is once again in demand. Such influential style magazines as Victoria have reproduced tea patterns for sale to collectors of anything Victorian or "shabby chic."
Today, in the early 21st century, tea drinking is also experiencing a wide revival, as is the popularity of the tea party for entertaining small groups of friends. Certainly the appropriate teapots and serving ware should be acquired to go along with these trends! It should be much easier to find patterns and styles you like on the Web and in antique shops going for reasonable prices, to complete or expand your collection.
Good resources:
Chintz, by Susan Scott. Scott wrote The Charlton Catalogue of Chintz-Third Edition. This is a great site, with detailed history and photos.
Athlyn Green's English Chintz: excellent article with pictures of good examples.
Journal of Antiques: Collecting Chintz China (2000)