Ellgreave Genuine Ironstone Teapot by Wood & Sons (Mid-Century Modern Floral Grid), Circa 1950s 🇬🇧☕️⚜️

$75.00
Ellgreave Genuine Ironstone Teapot by Wood & Sons (Mid-Century Modern Floral Grid), Circa 1950s 🇬🇧☕️⚜️
Ellgreave Genuine Ironstone Teapot by Wood & Sons (Mid-Century Modern Floral Grid), Circa 1950s 🇬🇧☕️⚜️
Ellgreave Genuine Ironstone Teapot by Wood & Sons (Mid-Century Modern Floral Grid), Circa 1950s 🇬🇧☕️⚜️
Ellgreave Genuine Ironstone Teapot by Wood & Sons (Mid-Century Modern Floral Grid), Circa 1950s 🇬🇧☕️⚜️
Ellgreave Genuine Ironstone Teapot by Wood & Sons (Mid-Century Modern Floral Grid), Circa 1950s 🇬🇧☕️⚜️
Ellgreave Genuine Ironstone Teapot by Wood & Sons (Mid-Century Modern Floral Grid), Circa 1950s 🇬🇧☕️⚜️
Ellgreave Genuine Ironstone Teapot by Wood & Sons (Mid-Century Modern Floral Grid), Circa 1950s 🇬🇧☕️⚜️
Ellgreave Genuine Ironstone Teapot by Wood & Sons (Mid-Century Modern Floral Grid), Circa 1950s 🇬🇧☕️⚜️
Ellgreave Genuine Ironstone Teapot by Wood & Sons (Mid-Century Modern Floral Grid), Circa 1950s 🇬🇧☕️⚜️
Ellgreave Genuine Ironstone Teapot by Wood & Sons (Mid-Century Modern Floral Grid), Circa 1950s 🇬🇧☕️⚜️
Ellgreave Genuine Ironstone Teapot by Wood & Sons (Mid-Century Modern Floral Grid), Circa 1950s 🇬🇧☕️⚜️
Ellgreave Genuine Ironstone Teapot by Wood & Sons (Mid-Century Modern Floral Grid), Circa 1950s 🇬🇧☕️⚜️
Ellgreave Genuine Ironstone Teapot by Wood & Sons (Mid-Century Modern Floral Grid), Circa 1950s 🇬🇧☕️⚜️
Ellgreave Genuine Ironstone Teapot by Wood & Sons (Mid-Century Modern Floral Grid), Circa 1950s 🇬🇧☕️⚜️
Ellgreave Genuine Ironstone Teapot by Wood & Sons (Mid-Century Modern Floral Grid), Circa 1950s 🇬🇧☕️⚜️
Ellgreave Genuine Ironstone Teapot by Wood & Sons (Mid-Century Modern Floral Grid), Circa 1950s 🇬🇧☕️⚜️
Ellgreave Genuine Ironstone Teapot by Wood & Sons (Mid-Century Modern Floral Grid), Circa 1950s 🇬🇧☕️⚜️
Ellgreave Genuine Ironstone Teapot by Wood & Sons (Mid-Century Modern Floral Grid), Circa 1950s 🇬🇧☕️⚜️
Ellgreave Genuine Ironstone Teapot by Wood & Sons (Mid-Century Modern Floral Grid), Circa 1950s 🇬🇧☕️⚜️
Ellgreave Genuine Ironstone Teapot by Wood & Sons (Mid-Century Modern Floral Grid), Circa 1950s 🇬🇧☕️⚜️
Ellgreave Genuine Ironstone Teapot by Wood & Sons (Mid-Century Modern Floral Grid), Circa 1950s 🇬🇧☕️⚜️
Ellgreave Genuine Ironstone Teapot by Wood & Sons (Mid-Century Modern Floral Grid), Circa 1950s 🇬🇧☕️⚜️
Ellgreave Genuine Ironstone Teapot by Wood & Sons (Mid-Century Modern Floral Grid), Circa 1950s 🇬🇧☕️⚜️

This is a fact-verified piece of Mid-Century English ceramic history, manufactured by Ellgreave Pottery Co. Ltd., a division of the renowned Wood & Sons. The object is a premium decorative artifact, appealing to collectors who value authentic post-war industrial design and the tradition of the Staffordshire potteries.

The piece features a distinctive blend of traditional floral transfer and a bold 1950s geometric grid motif, making it a key study piece of the era's aesthetic transition. Its valuation is grounded in its "Genuine Ironstone" material quality and its verifiable lineage to one of the most respected names in British ceramics.

2. About the Object 📖✍️✨ The teapot is constructed from Genuine Ironstone, a durable, heavy, opaque earthenware that was the material of choice for quality domestic wares across the 19th and 20th centuries. Its shape is a classic globular design, balanced by a finely molded foot and an ornate, scrolled handle.

The decoration is a masterclass in post-war style, combining two opposing themes. The center features a vibrant, multi-colored floral transfer print, characteristic of the mid-century's embrace of cheerfulness and color. Below this organic design is a striking black geometric grid pattern, detailed with heavy gold gilt trim, providing a contrasting, architectural foundation to the entire design. The piece is a verifiable statement on the blending of decorative arts and industrial efficiency from the period.

3. About the Maker/Origin ✍️🏛️ This teapot is the product of Ellgreave Pottery Co. Ltd., established in Burslem, Staffordshire, in 1921. Ellgreave was founded by Harry Wood, a descendant of the legendary Wood family of master potters, whose history dates back to the 18th century. The company operated as an associate of the parent firm, Wood & Sons, and became a specialist in teapots and related wares.

The highly detailed backstamp is a crucial element of the piece, as it explicitly features the names Ralph 1750, Moses 1751, and Enoch 1784, symbolically connecting this Mid-Century factory piece to the 200-year history of the Wood family dynasty. Ellgreave was a mass-market leader, producing over a million teapots annually in the 1950s, a testament to its successful blend of tradition and high-volume industrial capability.

4. Historical/Political Era Context 🌍🕰️📜 This teapot was manufactured during the Post-War Boom Period in Great Britain, specifically the 1950s, a decade of recovery, reconstruction, and a strong focus on domestic comfort and consumer goods. The production of this piece represents a critical moment for the Staffordshire potteries, as they pivoted from wartime production to supplying a newly demanding global domestic market.

The aesthetic choices reflect the optimism and prosperity of the era. The bold floral colors and the generous use of gold were a deliberate counterpoint to the austerity of the previous decades. By explicitly marketing its "Genuine Ironstone" material, the pottery emphasized durability and quality, key selling points to consumers looking for long-lasting, reliable home goods in a new, modern Britain.

5. The Ideal Collector 💡🧐🏛️ This artifact is an essential acquisition for a curator specializing in Mid-Century British decorative arts and industrial design. It is perfectly suited for a collector who seeks to document the evolution of the Staffordshire style from Victorian opulence to post-war modernism.

The buyer appreciates items that possess a clear, authenticated factory history, as provided by the detailed Ellgreave/Wood & Sons mark. The aesthetic, with its geometric grid and floral contrast, is highly desirable for a collector who curates an interior environment blending classic antiques with Mid-Century Modern furniture and accents.

6. Value & Rarity 💎✨🏛️ This teapot is approximately 70 to 75 years old, having been produced during Ellgreave's peak manufacturing period in the 1950s. Its value is anchored in its verifiable historical pedigree and its strong decorative aesthetic.

The bibliographical scarcity of this specific piece is low due to the high volume of teapots produced by the factory. However, the Aesthetic Premium is high due to the bold, well-preserved transfer and the explicit reference to the entire Wood family history on the base. Its monetary worth is found in its function as an authentic, well-documented artifact of a crucial period in global domestic design history.

7. Condition 🔎📚✨ The physical condition has been assessed directly from the provided high-resolution photography. The object is deemed to be in Very Good Vintage Condition, with expected signs of use and wear consistent with a ceramic piece from the 1950s.

  • Maker's Mark: The printed backstamp is clear and perfectly legible, a key positive quality for authentication.

  • Transfer Print: The central floral and geometric transfer patterns are vibrant and exhibit no significant fading or loss.

  • Gold Gilt Wear: There is expected, heavy rubbing and loss to the gold trim on the handle's apex and the spout's rim. This is a mandatory deduction from its pristine value.

  • Body Integrity: The body appears free of chips or large cracks, maintaining its structural integrity.

  • Clean Interior: The interior of the teapot appears clean and free of major staining.

8. Fun Facts & Unique Features 🤓📜🤩

  • Ellgreave's Founder: Ellgreave Pottery Co. Ltd. was founded by Harry Wood, a direct descendant of the original Wood family of potters, whose history dates back to 1750.

  • The Ironstone Distinction: The material, Genuine Ironstone, was originally patented in 1813 as a vitreous earthenware that was heavy, strong, and opaque—a more durable and affordable alternative to translucent porcelain.

  • Historic Marks: The backstamp includes the names Ralph 1750, Moses 1751, and Enoch 1784, which are the founding figures of the Wood family pottery dynasty, ensuring the factory piece is historically grounded.

  • Post-War Production: During the 1950s, Ellgreave was a specialized powerhouse, manufacturing an estimated 1.5 million teapots annually, reflecting the explosion in global demand for domestic tea wares.

9. Supporting Information 🏷️📦💰

  • Object Type: Genuine Ironstone Teapot (Globe Shape)

  • Maker: Ellgreave Pottery Co. Ltd., A Division of Wood & Sons

  • Year/Period: Circa 1950s (Teapot Co. existed 1921–1967)

  • Place of Origin: Burslem, Staffordshire, England

  • Materials: Genuine Ironstone Earthenware, Transfer Print, Gold Gilt Trim

  • Dimensions (Approximate, from photos): 9 inches long (spout to handle) x 5.5 inches tall (to finial)

  • Maker's Mark Transcription (Verbatim): ELLGREAVE, A DIV. OF WOOD & SONS ENGLAND, Genuine Ironstone. (Below Crest: RALPH 1750 MOSES 1751 ENOCH 1784).

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