Portobello tea cups

I recently went to the famous Portobello Market early one Friday morning and bought the adorable tea set above. The colours were so me and I love how you can mix and match them!

The above set are from The Colclough China Company from the Harlequin range.

The Colclough China Company was founded in 1890 by Herbert Joseph Colclough, who was an ex-Mayor of Stoke-on-Trent. Mr Colclough was a very conscientious man who loved his pottery and was known on occasion to stay up all night next to his kilns, which he had packed, so that he could be the first to see the new designs when they emerged.

After expanding his company, he moved to the Vale potteries in Longton and was honoured when in 1913 he was visited by King George V and Queen Mary who gave royal licence for the company to produce Royal Vale china.

In the 1930's Colclough China Limited was expanding fast and it was then that they started to produce the tea and dinner ware that we know today. They were the first company to produce fine bone china for the every day market which was marketed by the piece, ruling out the need for large sets to be purchased first.

In 1948, Colclough China Limited took over Booths and Adderley and then in the early 1950's merged with the Ridgeway Company. Colclough and Ridgeway became part of the Royal Doulton Group in the early 1970's. However, in 1996, Colclough production discontinued and manufacture ceased.

You can buy Colclough Chinaware online from Focus on Colclough. They have a similar set to the above called "Ballet", which is £35 for a 21 Piece Set.



I bought the above to keep trinkets in on my dressing room table, which match some lovely pink glass dressing table pieces my dear Nanny left me.