Featured Real or reproduction?

Hello all, these tiles were recently found in the cellar of my mum's Victorian terrace house. I have found quite lot of information online regarding W B Simpson and Sons tilemakers, but nothing regarding this specific pattern. I guess my first question is can anyone tell me how you know if they are real or reproduction, and if it's possible to tell how old they might be? Many thanks in advance for any light anyone can shed!

 

I can't help with your questions, but I must say that I LOVE those tiles! Someone who knows will be along soon to assist, I'm sure................

 

Judging by the information available in the link to the BM, these are not very common...........

 

I'm not an expert but my guess is that they are the real deal. I don't think a reproduction would have the backs printed like that.

Absolutely stunning. Handle with care.

 

Thank you for your responses everyone, wow - looks like they could be more interesting than we thought! Maybe I should drop the British Museum an email see what they think (never thought I'd be saying that...). They are indeed really lovely, even if they don't turn out to be anything special I still deem them a great find in a dirty old cellar!

 

These are really lovely, and it's great you have a set!

 

Very nice! No reason to believe these are anything but the real deal. The condition is a bit unfortunate but these might be worth restoring to the right person.

 

Hi,
Those tiles are stunning!!!!!!! Look right as rain to me. Incredible find.
greg

 

Very nice indeed.

They work for me without any restoration.

Great find!

 

Spot on right and real. Probably from a fireplace - and yes, no touching them and I agree with Davey on the value.

 

Willam Butler Simpson, as I am sure you already know from your research was an ornamental painter and decrator and he founded his tile business at 456 West Strand in London in 1833. My office used to be in the old Grand Hotel which is almost opposite. These are definitely real, not fakes. Some of his work can still be seen at places like Bakerloo Station on the London underground but the tiles he made for that and hospitals etc were of a more prosaic nature.

The ones you have are stunning and to have a whole set is very rare.

The company still exists but have changed direction a lot.

https://www.tiles.org.uk/members/w-b-simpson-sons-midlands-ltd-4778/

I would certainly not try to restore them and sending a photo to the ceramics department of Christies in London might well give you a good idea of their value.

Trust me, they will reply.

 

Do you mean the Strand Palace hotel?

London is built on tiles from Simpsons and Doulton. Which is very pleasing.

 

Possibly thinking of Grand buildings at the corner of the Strand at Trafalgar Square. When I had business there I could see it could have been an ex-hotel. Anything less like a palace than the Strand Palace would be hard to imagine but it was cheap for central London and I had a friend in the IT department who would comp.. me a room sometimes if I was too 'tired and emotional' to go home.

 

Ah, that one. The Strand Palace used to be pretty dire, but it's now gone rather fancy, having been renovated.

 

Thank you for your continued replies everyone! Much appreciated. I'll tell my mum to check the cellar for anything else that could be lurking down there! Currently awaiting a reply from the British museum with any more info but as you suggest I might try Christies also see what their view is. Thanks again!

 

Yes, check anything else that may be down in that cellar. Tell your mum not to throw anything out from that section of the house for now.

A quick note on Christies. I made a U.S. inquiry on something, mind you this was six years ago so my brain is a bit foggy, rules might have changed, etc. Also Christies in the UK might be different, but from the US branch, didn't get much of a result.

As I recall they had a minimum value or they weren't even interested, I think it was around $2K. I was invited to send photos for a valuation, but in the end just got an email that the item I sent "didn't meet their requirements", no specific estimate of value. (Later learned from research that the item I sent was worth about $900.)

In the case of these tiles, I could imagine someone at the UK Christies taking a personal interest (they are wonderful!) and maybe writing more of a response, but just a bit of warning that it isn't necessarily a detailed response or valuation if the item doesn't meet their minimum value requirements.

 

Christies sometimes get interested in lower value lots if they can aggregate them, for want of a better word. If they've a specialist sale with gaps, they may take them.