Teaberry

Plain Round is a term we use to describe a variety of wares by different potters. These wares are typically of a simple bulbous shape, unadorned and may have been produced for institutions such as hotels or restaurants and Inns. Durability was the drawing card, yet there is beauty in the simplicity of the lines. They were not necessarily manufactured to go with one body style but with many different ones. Plain Round can be found in children's and adult wares, as well as in bath and dinnerware items.

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 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. 

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.

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.

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." 

A rare body style with copper lustre and Teaberry motif. There is grape embossing surrounding the finial of tureens and unusual spiral handles on handled pieces. Livesley and Powell produced this ware in the 1850's but Clementson may have produced their version later.

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.

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.

One of the most popular of the early body styles, Grape Octagon has fluted octagonal panels and grape embossing at handle terminals and finials. Pitchers and teapots have distinctive B-shaped handles.