Tiles

What makes antique decorative tiles so fascinating is the vast range of techniques and designs employed, from simple art deco motifs to the masterpieces of the Arts and Crafts movement, by makers such as William de Morgan.  Nearly all the antique tiles on the market would have been produced between 1850 and 1940. Although tiles were made as far back as Ancient Egyptian times, older tiles are extremely rare.  The history of tiles follows a series of innovations, starting with painted or two tone encaustic tiles of the medieval period, through tin-glazed blue and white delft tiles of the 17th and 19th century.

Tile production really took off in the Victorian period as methods of mass production were developed, starting with the invention of dust pressing by Herbert Minton, producing the moulded majolica tiles, then transfer printing which permitted quicker decoration and then tube-lining process of the early 20th Century.  We keep a large stock of all types of tiles, from encaustic tiles by Godwin (a local Herefordshire manufacturer), Minton, Maw and Co and Craven Dunhill; geometric tiles typical of Victorian hallways, original delft tiles and a large selection of patterned, tube lined, transfer printed, majolica  and hand painted tiles from all the major producers.  We have categorised the tiles more by style than manufacturing process.