Johnson Brothers' elaborate Acanthus features embossed elongated leaves. Even flatware pieces such as ordinary plates and bowls are decorated with triangular shaped leaves on the rim border. Holloware pieces such as the ewer and the sugar bowl have deeply ruffled melon ribs. This body style is sometimes confused with Chelsea.

The body style is identified by the fancy crown-like finial. The medallion in the middle of the finial also appears in the middle of the handles. Holloware pieces have large bracket handles.

This body style is very akin to the Delphi pattern produced by Thomas Elsmore. It bears a plain, smooth body with elaborate steeple handles and finials.

American Favorite has a domed lid, stepped finial and oval shaped base with uplift handles. The stepped finial and lug uplifted handles have an impressed flower shape embossed on them.  

Pieces feature delicately embossed designs reflecting the influence of mid-eastern cultures. It was potted during the period of the British rule in Northern Africa, perhaps to celebrate the expansion of the British Empire.

Embossed clusters of flowers and leaves hang from loops near the rims of hollowware pieces. This is a popular Elsmore & Forster body style and is found with many types of decoration including transfer designs and mulberry patterns.

This is a beautiful pattern with thumbprint impressions surrounding the base of pieces and arched panels along the sides with embossed spriggs of wheat flaring upwards and out. Copper lustre or polychrome with copper lustre highlights the wheat shafts and other embossed elements on these pieces.

A bulbous base with a belt and buckle wrapped around it. The finial looks a lot like cable or a piece of rope.

Crescent arches embossed near the top rims of holloware and flatware pieces identify this body style. It is usually found with only banding but examples with teaberry motif are known. The impressed oval mark verifies that the potter's name for this body style is Augusta Shape. Many pieces are found simply marked "J. Clementson, Sheldon." 

The Aurora body style by Wick China Company is often marked with a circular mark that says Aurora China and has a "T" a "W" and a "C" overlayed in the middle. This body style has an oval footprint and flares out slightly from the neck of serving pieces to a mid-level waist, then tapers down to the scalloped base. It has verticle lines that divide the front and back into three sections. Heavy embossed scrolls accent these indented lines as well as the rims.

The foliage embossed center front and center back of hollowware pieces covers a large portion of the surface. The clever decorators used this feature to advantage by painting not one but two Teaberry motifs on each side of the embossed design.

Registered in 1867.

This sturdy body style is smooth and round resembling an inflated balloon.

A square style with handles and finials resembling bamboo stalks, this was one of the most widely produced body styles. Holloware pieces were available in straight-sided style as well as a slightly bulbous version. Bath set pieces such as ewers and master waste jars are often round and bulbous.

Registered in 1873.

The Davis' utilized Clementson's popular Teaberry as the motif on their wares. The name of this very plain round shape, typical of the 1870's, is derived from the bands of the C-shaped handle of the teapot and repeated on the upturned handles of the sugar bowl.

A vanity box with the same banding was marked Livesley and Davis , evidently a transition piece made at the time the pottery was changing ownership. 

This late square style has intricate basketweaving embossed in the lower third of holloware bodies. Basketweave has become one of the most collectible of the late Shaw products.

Registered in 1887.

The simple lines of this bulbous round style are relieved by the bands of beads found at the handle arch and on the finial. Dressed up with a bold teaberry motif, it has a plain but pleasing look.

The Thomas Hughes and Son, England, mark tells us that this late body style was potted between 1895 and 1910.

The square lines of the sugar bowl reflect the Eastlake style of architecture popular at the end of the 19th century. 

The most distinctive feature of Beaded Bow is the bow finial and the beading on both the finial and on the bracket style handles.

Styled after the Johnson Brothers Tracery body style, these pieces feature beading near the base of the cups and a botanical vine design embosed on the saucers and plates.

Holloware pieces feature both the Tracery-style beading and the botanical design.

Usually found in white ironstone, these Tea Leaf decorated examples are rare indeed.

After 1897.

This predecessor of Tea Leaf ware is tastefully decorated with several pomegranite motifs interspersed with leaves and sprigs, all in lustrous copper. The classical form is typical of this period.

An embossed floral design characterizes this unusual square body style. Stamped Royal arms mark reads: "Ironstone china, W & E Corn, Burslem" indicating a pre-1891 mark.

The name for this oval body style is derived from the berry-like clusters on the finials of covered holloware pieces. Embossing on the body resembles tall stalks with leaves and berries at the upper end.

Embossed bands on holloware pieces resemble blanket hemstitching or piecrust rims, features sure to have appealed to the Victorian housewife.

This is the same blank as Hanging Leaves but with added embossing of fuchsia leaves which cover the entire body of the holloware pieces. This blank is so heavily embossed, the decorators had difficulty finding an appropriate place to paint the Tea Leaf. Even plate rims and cup sides are adorned with embossed leaf and flower sprigs.

A bulbous body style with embossed bowtie-like designs at the handle terminals. This style has only been found in chamber/bath sets. The ewer is unique in that it does not have a true pouring spout.

The lids of holloware pieces feature fleur-de-lis streamers and wreaths culminating in the tied bow finial. This style is listed as Bow Knot in Dieringer's White Ironstone China Plate Identification Guide. Since the name "Bow Knot" has been used as the title for WIlkinson's bath set body style, we have modified it to "Bow Tie."

Elegantly embossed near the base and surrounding the finial, this body style was the perfect complement to the table linen of the period.

This is a square body style utilizing the same blank as the Daisy body style but with a bullet-shaped finial and a fan-shaped design at handle terminals.

This handsome body style includes embosing of vines and buttercup looking flowers.  Pieces have a slightly flared spout that rises above the neck of pouring vessels.

One of the most popular and available bulbous body styles, it is said to have been potted to commemorate the laying of the Trans-Atlantic cable.

The only body style produced by Bahl China, to date only small bowls have been found. 1940-41.

John Edwards' stylish Camille is indentified by the distinctive "Porcelaine de Terre" mark. Every 4 inches along the base of an ewer there are two pairs of soft fluting that rise four inches. The soft fluting is repeated at the top extending down 1.5 inches. A scrolled 'c' design decorates the handle with a leaf impression at the top handle terminal. There is scalloped embossing almost like lace edging at the throat.

Truly a lovely example of the potter's art.

To date, only bath pieces have been found in Cattail. It features an oblong body style adorned with cattail like lines eminating from the handle terminals. 

Elsmore & Forster's very popular wheat style was widely copied by other potters, both British and Amrican. It is an extremely well potted line which is found in many elegant decorations. In addition to the copper lustre enhanced version, there are examples with cobalt, a lighter blue, green and gold lustre, a mustard yellow and even in a Rockingham glaze. 

Registered in 1859.

Chain Link is named for the unusual handle of the ewer that has been found. It is completed by the trefoil embossing at the upper handle terminal. The rim is gracefully sculptured lending a refined quality to the overall body style.

This body style is identified by lacy embossing and lustre decoration.

Fluted corners on an otherwise plain surface characterize this beautiful body style. Fancy finials and handles provide added embellishment to an otherwise simple form. When comparing the different manufacturers you will notice the following:

Alfred Meakin - Has a skewered finial and oval, round or oblong footprints. Butter pats do not have any noticeable ridging but are scalloped and can be confused with Simple Pear although the latter is always marked Alfred Meakin LTD.

An elegantly paneled style with leaf embossing at the handle terminals and surrounding the rosebud finial. Chinese Shape is found decorated with Tea Leaf or Teaberry motifs; even with gold lustre motifs on lighter weight bodies. Some examples by Anthony Shaw actually are in lustre band only and may be either panelled or smooth.  Red Cliff copied the lines and the distinctive Shaw tea leaf in their mid-20th century reproduction line.

Chrysanthemum features lavish floral embossing on the upper body. This late Victorian bulbous style may be found in copper or gold lustre motifs.

Registered in 1886.

This body style features twisted rope handles, a hexagonal spheroid shape with a recessed base, and the lids are plateau with horizontal flattened arch finials. 

One of the earliest body styles to be decorated with copper lustre motifs, Classic Gothic is characterized by its octagonal shape. Pitchers and teapots have bracket handles, while sugar and vegetable dishes have spiraled ear handles.

Classic Gothic can be distinguidhed from its cousin, Full Panelled Gothic, by the eight panels which extend downward to a deep indentation just above the base.

The T & R Boote pottery is primarily known for its early Sydenham Shape lines. The Classic Shape is a rare example of this famous pottery's later work.

About 1868.

The fancy cockscomb handle and high pedestal base make this an outstanding example of the body style sometimes called "Lantern." Usually found in mulberry or flow blue, they also made lines with Teaberry or copper lustre bands. It is attributed to Jacob Furnival.

This Sydenham-related body style was potted by several makers, each adding their own individual touch by varying the finials. Livesley and Powell used a cone-shaped knob; Elsmore & Foster used an acorn on top of the child's pieces, and a nut finial on their adult pieces. Children's sets by Elsmore & Foster sport Morning Glory or Tpbacco Leaf motifs. Registered in 1855.

Corinthian columns with intricate capitals graced the architecture of ancient Greece. The stately columns dividing this elegant pitcher into quarters are the inspiration for the adaptation of the Corinthian name. A crimped and scalloped rim tops the colonaded body.

Coornet is a plain round style characterized by a crown-like finial on covered holloware pieces. Note that some pieces like gravy boats and covered vegetables feature an unusual scalloped footprint. 

Embossed designs on the lower section of holloware pieces resemble fine crewel embroidery. The oval bodies are divided into four somewhat bulbous sections. Handles are attached at the widest portion of the body and appear to be out of proportion with the overall size, a trademark of the late Victorian period.

Crystal is a very plain bulbous style potted by two famous producers of Tea Leaf ironstone. The only difference in the teapots is the rim style. Clementson used a flanged simple rim while Elsmore & Forster scalloped their flanged rim. Elsmore & Forster uses a heavily lustred knob finial.

A square style from the same blank as Bullet, Daisy features a square faceted knob finial and daisy rosettes at handle corners. It has a very pronounced flared shape which indents sharply to the bracket foot base.

Registered in 1884.

Almost a Wdgwood trademark, the Daisy & Tulip rosette is prominent on the steeple finial and the arch of the handles. In this round body style, Wedgwood flanked the rosette with stylized tulips.

Registered in 1877

Daisy 'n' Chain is a slighly bulbous square style featuring rosettes at the handle corners and in the arch finial. The chain decorations are found at the handle terminals and under the finial arch.

An early Sydenham-type body style, there are examples which feature copper lustred leaves (not embossed) in pairs hanging from the lustre band. Registered in 1855.

Dangling Tulips is the nickname of a body style registered by Edward Pearson. A firm named Pearson, Farrall & Meakin operated a pottery in Shelton in 1854. The firm did not last very long for there is no record of a notice of dissolution for the partnership. Mr. Pearson and Mr Farrall evidently went their separate ways, both potting the same shape under their individual names. (The Meakin in this partnership was James Meakin, not one of the Tea Leaf Meakins.)

The Greek city of Delphi is our inspiration for this Thomas Elsmore & Son body style. The geometric figures in the finial, squares and circles and a rosette medallion, recall the grandeur of the ancient civilization where Geometry was born. The handles reflect this same design.

This body style is basically plain but the embossing on the finial and handles of the sauce tureen adds a sense of strength to this spartan style.

A complete line of white ironstone in the DeSoto shape was potted by Thomas Hughes. 

Registered in 1855.

Diamond Simplicity is a variation of the Simplicity body style. It features an embossed diamond prominently displayed on teh handles and finials.

We know that Powell and Bishop decorated this shape with a Rose motif while Anthony Shaw used lustre bands. It is possible that other motifs will be found on this body style in the future.

Dignity is a bulbous body style of the late 19th century. Its shape is reminiscent of a Victorian matron in her heyday. The fluted body is embellished with a botanical embossing emanating from the upper handle terminals. Teapots also show this embossing on the opposite side of the handle terminal high above the spout.

The circular arch finial and C-shaped handles are other attributes on holloware pieces.

The bodies are "dimpled." Items such as the chamberpot and soap dishes are dimpled on from two to four sides. Sometimes the dimpling extends right through the tea leaves!

Double bands surround the loops of this body. 

Another of Hughes' lavishly embossed body styles, it features ferns and leaves at handle terminals.

It is very similar to a body style potted in white ironstone identified as Hawthorn's Fern in White Ironstone: A Collector's Guide, Wetherbee, 1996. 

John Hawthorn liquidated his business in 1887. Is it possible that the Hughes pottery bought these molds for this piece?

Although the Baker pottery was not a prolific producer of Tea Leaf wares, they did decorate their handsome Draped Leaf style with a classic copper lustre Morning Glory motif.

Elegance is a round style with fancy scroll-like embossing at handle terminals and at the finial. The distinctive double C-scroll finial is quite unusual and is the inspiration for the name "Elegance." Registered in 1884.

The body style name is based on the only known piece that has been seen which is a cake stand.  The scalloped draping hangs from the edge of the stand.

This Burgess product is an oval Chelsea style with added embossing near the rims which resembles embroidery. The scalloped and scrolled edges of the cake plate and relish dish are quite elegant. Registered in 1884.

Empress Shape features a squatty ribbed body style. It was produced by the Adams pottery during the mid-20th century Tea Leaf revival. Technically, it is not a reproduction since it does not resemble any 19th century body style. It was often marked with the word "Micratex."

A body style by Wick China Company, Erie features medium ribbing emanating from the upper body of serving pieces down to the base. The pitcher has a low flared spout and a "C" shaped handle.

This fancy body style features a bulging, bulbous mid-section with ring handles that attach just above the bulge and face downwards. The ring finial is shaped with a somewhat clover shaped opening. To date, only two sugar bowls and a plate have been discovered.

This body style by Chelsea China Company sports elyptical finials, a stepped lid and uplifted handles. The gold-lustre Tea Leaf has no bud but may have extra stem extensions.

The flourish of brilliant copper lustre which completely covers the finials, coupled with the prominent flare of the tea service pieces, evoke thoughts of blaring trumpets. Pieces are sometimes found with an impressed "No. 2", a mark found on other Elsmore & Forster body styles. Examples of Fanfare pitchers have been found sporting botanical motifs and having air holes near the upper handle joints and in the base - a puzzle to learn more about!

Favorite is a square body style with rounded sides and ribbed lower body sections. Handles and finials resemble twined rope giving these features a barbershop pole effect. It is found with many other types of decoration including transfer patterns and blue overlay - thus the name "Favorite." Registered in 1886.

This body style name was derived from the embossing on the top of the finial and on the top edge of the handles that resembles a fiddle head. Additional embossing resembling fiddlehead fern leaves appears on the curve of the handle and at the handle terminals.

The finial on this body style is a fig lying atop a bed of leaves. Pieces are decorated with thick copper banding.

The addition of pink lustre makes this basic fig-leaved blank a very elaborate and showy body style. Note that the pink lustre detail even extends to the lids of children's pieces. Fig Cousin is one of the most prized of Tea Leaf body styles.

Davenport named this shape Union Shape but ironstone collectors fondly called it Fig. Sometimes found with extensive copper lustre covering the handles, rims, foot and fig motif, it can be a very showy piece! About 1856.

One of the most widely produced of Tea Leaf ironstone body styles, this square style with fluted corners and flared bodies that flare to a slightly indented base was evidently extremely popular. It is named for the hook-type lustre treatment on the handles and finials. 

This is a simple yet refined body style with bands of floral-embossed ribbon circling the base and rims of holloware pieces. The edge is rimmed with a chain of fleur-de-lis, symbols of an ancient kingdom.

This body style features pleated corners on lids of holloware pieces such as covered vegetables which are repeated on the body and on the foot. Vertical handles on covered vegetables are an interesting twist to what is often seen. It is named Fleur-de-lys to acknowledge the embossing at the finial, reminiscent of French chilvaric emblems; this the French spelling of this royal symbol. Registered in 1891.

The vertical panels of this Gothic body style flow gently outward to the wide base. The collar is widely flared above the neck. Pitchers and teapots have bracket handles while covered pieces are found with ear-style lug handles. This Gothic style does not have a deeply indented arc near the base that characterizes the Classic Gothic.

This is a gold-lustre decorated body style. Full Ribbed pieces are usually of porcelain or other lightweight china. In purist measure, it does not fit with the Tea Leaf Club International definition of wares that the club promotes, but is included here for educational purposes. The Bridgwood firm has been in existence for almost two centuries, so it's hard to say exactly when they made Full Ribbed. Godden states that this company produced porcelain wares prior to 1887; semi-porcelian wares in the first half of the 20th century.

Gentle Square, named for the rounded contours of its basic square shape, is probably best known for its whimsical handle and finial treatment. The body has corner fluting similar to Meakin's Fishhook body style. Some collectors have nicknamed this style "Rooster," while others feel the design resembles a fish rather than a fowl.

Registered in 1876.

Unlike his predecessors, Elsmore & Forster, Thomas Elsmore used the standard Tea Leaf motif on his wares. While it is usually found in creamy yellow shades of ironstone, there are known pieces in the traditional white color. The shape is essentially a very bulbous round with high domed lids on the lidded tea set pieces. The oriental flavor of the shape is reminiscent of the ginger-jars of ancient China.

Golden drape is a bulbous body style that features a smaller base and a flared neck on pitchers. The handles are of a "C-scrolled" design.

Golden Scroll is a basic square shape with rounded ends. It features embossed scrolling at the lower corners. In some pieces, this scrolling is emphasized with gold lustre outlines.