Collecting Cornishware

For as long as I can remember I’ve loved the look of Cornishware. The pretty and classic blue and white pottery from England.

My husband is from Cornwall so I remember first seeing it when visiting his family’s county. Cornwall is the southern most county in England with beautiful rolling hills and trails, a rugged coastline, and the sweetest little villages. I actually wrote more about visiting Cornwall last year.

It really is such a special place. On that trip I thought I’d find loads of vintage cornishware, BUT found nothing… I did see some new pieces in a gift shop in St. Ives but was very worried it might break in my suitcase on the way home.

I’ve been pining for pieces for our home (for so long), and I decided to treat myself. Come on into the dining room on this cold winter day and enjoy thoughts of the Cornish coast.

I redecorated my sweet little Welsh Dresser the minute the Cornishware arrived!

What is Cornishware?

Cornishware is pottery made by T.G. Green & Company. The company started in the mid-1860s by Thomas Goodwin Green. The pottery sold like “hot cakes” for British kitchens – people loved the teapots, pudding bowls, and cooking dishes. They also did a huge export business to Australia and New Zealand, as well as, Europe.

The Cornishware iconic Blue and White Stripes designs date back to the 1920s. It is thought the “blue of the Cornish skies and the white crests of the waves’ by T.G. Green’s south of England representative at the time”.

It’s popularity ebbed and flowed. World War II and the 1960s brought challenging times. Then by the late 20th century T.G. Green faced bankruptcy and closed down production. In 2008 three investors (all Cornishware enthusiasts) decided to resurrect the brand and pottery. At the time the pottery was being made abroad, with the plan of production returning to Britain. John Lewis began carrying the pottery in their shops again.

According to the Cornishware website, “New and old products were introduced and Cornish Red was launched aimed at a younger and more urban customer. Eight further new colours were introduced originally in the 12oz. mug and more recently to the iconic 10oz.

In 2017 the production repatriation journey began using the original Cornish clay and glaze used since the 1920s and many of the time honoured manufacturing techniques. Flatware items, a generic term for mainly plates and bowls are decorated by hand and handled items are made using similar and highly dextrous skills with the additional process of applying wax relief to all the cream coloured areas before a hand dipping process is deployed.”

Most of the products now sold are made in the South West of England by 27 committed and talented people led by Charles and Rebecca Rickards.

The pottery is now made in the England once again. If you’d like to hear the full history listen to Charles and Rebecca on the It Runs in the Family Podcast.

The Iconic Stripes

Its no secret I LOVE Blue and White stripes and I became obsessed watching the Cornishware videos on their Instagram feed. It is mesmerizing to watch the pottery being hand dipped in colors or the stripes being meticulously painted on with a brush.

Why You’ll Love Cornishware

• of course, the stripes!
• The quality and craftsmanship
• The classic styles and shapes
• It’s an iconic British brand

My Cornishware Dreams

So for years, I’ve dreamed of having pieces in our own home. I thought about investing in vintage Cornishware but I really wanted sets we could used each day. The nice thing about the new Cornishware is its microwave and dishwasher safe. Yay!

As a little reward to myself for hard work last year I decided I’d invest in some Cornishware – a little pressie to myself. I asked Luke if he’d like some too, of course, he said yes. I decided to order some pieces when they were doing their seconds sale.

You can see some of the Cornishware displayed with my 143 tea towel. If you’re not from the South Shore you may not know that 143 means “I LOVE You”.

What Are Seconds?

Seconds are when there are slight imperfections and a company feels they can’t sell something for full price. You guys all know that I buy cracked and crazed vintage ironstone. I embrace imperfections!

I saw on Instagram that they were doing a seconds sale and I raced to their site. I was soooo excited. I’m happy to report that I can’t even see the seconds in the pottery we ordered. There are slight bubbles or a teeny tiny stray paint or a little black dot on the tea pot.

What Cornishware Did We Order?

I have so may plates, dishes, and bowls already that I decided to focus on tea service and mugs. I ordered the following:

• The Cornish Blue Tea for Two
• 12 oz mug set
• A Tea Jar

The sale is now over so I’m linking to the ordinary listings but the prices we paid were less. We did have to pay for shipping which was pretty expensive at 45 pounds, but everything arrived perfectly wrapped and in fantastic condition.

I have a feeling this is just the start and I’ll probably pick up pieces each time we go back to Cornwall.

I love how the pottery makes our dining room and kitchen feel a bit more cheerful, especially with all the gray and cold days we’re currently having.

I thought my whale tea towel also paired so nicely with this set.

More Ideas for Collecting

I know many of you who follow the blog already are collectors. I am a collector. I love searching for sea glass on the shore, or hunting for ironstone (I already have quite the collection on the hutch), but I can never resist another piece to add to the collection and LOVE shells. You might like the following posts which highlight some of my collections.

• Collecting Ironstone
• Decorating with Shells
• Decorating with Vintage Finds and Antiques
• Favorite Pale Blue Home Decor
• Antiquing in Maine
• A Winter Centerpiece

Let’s Stay Connected

Did you enjoy this post? If so, let me know! Pin this for reference later. Do you have a collection? If so, I’d love to hear more!

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