Mintons

Mintons is a historic English ceramics manufacturer based in Stoke-on-Trent, England. The name derives from the Minton family who founded the workshop in the late 18th century. Thomas Minton established a modest earthenware works in 1793, producing refined white earthenware. The company earned a reputation for high-quality transfer-printed wares, helping to popularize pattern books in the Victorian era.

In the 19th century, Mintons expanded into porcelain and decorative tiles, establishing itself as one of the leading English producers of tableware and decorative ceramics. It produced a wide range of wares, from everyday crockery to fine decorative pieces, studio wares, and architectural tiles for buildings and interiors. Mintons patterns covered landscapes, floral motifs, historical scenes, and later revivals of earlier styles; its wares were exported widely and collected by connoisseurs. The firm employed numerous designers and contributed to advances in ceramic technique, including improvements in glaze chemistry and transfer printing.

In the 20th century ownership of Mintons changed hands and production activities shifted; the mark has since been used by various owners and licensees, and the name continues as a brand associated with fine ceramics. Today, Mintons pieces are held in museum collections and are sought after by collectors of Victorian and classical ceramic wares.