Inv. 2763-1901 © Victoria and Albert Museum, London

Description:

Tile of earthenware, transfer-printed in underglaze blue with a vase of flowers and a border of laurel-leaves and berries. Impressed mark on the reverse 'PROSSER'S PATENT / MINTON & CO. / STOKE UPON TRENT'.

 'PROSSER'S PATENT' refers to the method of dust-pressing tiles, patented by Richard Prosser in 1840. Minton bought a share of the patent and pioneered the mass-production of printed wall tiles. It is the early dust-pressed Minton tiles that carry the mark 'PROSSER'S PATENT', as the production method could only be protected by copyright for seven years, and then renewed for another seven. Blanks with this backstamp must have been made during the early period of production but it is possible that many were decorated at a later date.