A rare Robert Minton Taylor tile delicately
hand painted with wildflowers set in to a frame
or potstand. I take it that the oak frame is
original though it has been stained black (I
think that it is stain rather than paint and it
looks like it would strip back to the oak very
easily), I am not sure if the feet are original
but no reason to believe not.
The tile is unusual in several respects, it
is on azure clay, this was an expensive
material, according to a 1905 price list we have
plain 6x6 white 3/6; celadon, azure or sage 6/-;
decorated blue and white tiles were dearer at
3/- - 3/6, all prices per dozen. The tile has
been cut down from 6" x 6" to about 5" x 5"
(although the overall size remains near as 6"
square), this is clearly original from the
position of the decoration. The decoration is
underglaze, most hand painted Minton Taylor
tiles are overglaze, this greatly increases the
likelihood that it was actually decorated at
Fenton rather than Kensington or elsewhere.
Marked Robert Minton Taylor and so from the
period 1871 - 1875.