Your CartAre you as enthusiastic about antique ironstone as I am? I’ve written a few posts on ironstone, and an article for a magazine a few years back. But since my recent ironstone ship has come in – yay!!- I’m adding pieces to the shop as fast as I can, you have been asking to know more about ironstone. Here are a few tips for shopping for ironstone.
WHAT IS IRONSTONE?
In this post, I wrote: “White Ironstone was originally potted in England in the early 1800’s. The Ironstone blanks were decorated with colorful patterns and were an immediate success in England, it had lasting weight and strength, and became a very popular form of pottery. James Edwards (1805-1867) of the Dalehall Pottery in Staffordshire, William Turner of Longton, are amongst the potters credited as ironstone pioneers. Some sources also attribute the invention of ironstone to Josiah Spode who is known to have been producing ironstone ware by 1805, he exported immense quantities to France and other countries. The popularity of Spode’s ironstone actually surpassed the traditional faience pottery in France.”
WHAT IS SO WONDERFUL ABOUT IRONSTONE?
Ironstone pieces have such a classic, clean design, they literally complement every style of decor. They mix beautifully with any kind of table setting, and play nicely with other porcelain or faience dishes too.
A collection of quality antique ironstone adds history and decorative beauty to your home, and the pieces are still very usable! That is the best part of these strong white dishes, they can still be used every day or on holidays, they earn their keep.
WHAT SHOULD WE LOOK FOR IN IRONSTONE?
Antique Ironstone comes in many shapes, and different forms. I look for the beauty of the design, how lustrous the finish is, as well as how useful the piece is. {How I could use it not just for its intended purpose, but also as a decorative element at home.}
Antique ironstone has thickness and weight, its usually heavier than most other types of china. Ironstone “glows” like nothing else. I can spot a piece of antique ironstone across aisles at fleamarkets. If you get familiar with antique ironstone, you will know it when you see it.
From the magazine article I wrote a few years ago:
1. Weight: Ironstone is thick and heavy.
2. Maker’s Mark: Most, but not all, ironstone is marked with a back stamp on the bottom that is printed, impressed, or both.
3. Color: Early English pieces made for export will have a blue or grey tint. Pieces that remained in England are creamier white, as are American ironstone pieces.
4. Shape: Date early ironstone by looking at patterns and shapes.
DOES ANTIQUE IRONSTONE HAVE A MARK?
It’s not uncommon to find pieces that aren’t marked. Many piece are marked on the bottom with a manufacturer’s marking, and that will help you date your piece.
Other names used in markings for ironstone include graniteware, stoneware, pearl china, feldspar china, new stone, semi porcelain, opaque porcelain, and stone china, they are all considered ironstone these days.
WHAT SHOULD WE COLLECT?
I’m not a purist, while I prefer that all the edges should be un-repaired and free of chips if possible, I have been know to fall head over heels in love with a piece that is stained, chipped and worn. What you will want to collect depends on what you fall in love with. Many collector’s focus on one kind, like tureens, or one maker for their collection. I have collectors that buy from us at FrenchGardenHouse who only buy French or English ironstone, or only ironstone that is well “buttered” as my European friends say, which means that the piece has discolored over the centuries to a darker beige.
What you buy depends on you….and what fits your style of home decor.
I love the quirky details on this very heavy ironstone pot, the handles are like little faces.
A favorite from my latest shipment from Europe, this antique ironstone foot bath has raised staves to simulate a barrel. The shape is so lovely, it is just as desirable today as it was in the late 1800’s, very early 1900’s.
I hope that this post has answered some of your questions, and gets you started on a collection of your own!
Ps. I’ll be adding the highly anticipated and coveted antique ironstone drainers to the shopsite this week.
To shop our latest ironstone click here >
A BIENTOT
Shop for the best in French Antiques, furniture with the patina of age, vintage accessories to delight you and your family & friends, and French Country utilitarian pieces. Treasures that make your home fresh, beautiful, inspirational and above all uniquely yours. Visit our shop FrenchGardenHouse.com
Oh what a beautiful collection and so very well curated as always!…I love an old crisp white piece; however, a “well buttered” piece always catches my eye…a piece that has been “well loved”…love the foot bath. I was lucky to find one at an estate sale that was apparently in a barn for years. Now it sits on my hearth. Have a great week Lidy..thank you for the beautiful vignettes!!
Shirley, I love both too…. your foot bath always catches my eye in your photos! It’s a beauty! wishing you a blessed day!! Xo
What a great post, Lidy! I’m an avid collector and I was thinking as I was reading that you are so right, I can spot a piece yards away at a market. I often zero in first on pitchers, but any interesting piece is a welcome addition to the collection. I like quirky details like detailed handles and fluted bases. I also have a small stash oof oval and rectangular platters that I use, use, use. Thanks for this, there’s always more to learn!
Janet, collecting ironstone is so much fun, isn’t it? And the upside of it {all of it is an upside!} is that you can use every single piece. I too use our antique platters on the daily here at FrenchGardenHouse!
My sister has a beautiful collection of ironstone. That may be a collection for me to start when we head back to our winter home.
Thank you for your beautiful post and tips.
So happy to help you start a new collection, Nancy! : ) Ironstone is such a great thing to collect, because it’s decorative but also very useable. xo