Featured Unusual tea set - help please

Hi everyone,
I was wondering whether anyone has ever seen a tea set like this before? It's not marked (just artist's marks I think on the bottom of every piece). I can't think what words to search for it, how old it might be, or what it's worth (I'm assuming it's a cheap set of no value)! I'm just fascinated about it's age/history - it's very heavy.
If anyone can give me any help at all please that would be great ...
Thank you,
Jane

 

English, 1910s or slightly earlier. The clay is typical of Brown Betty teapots. Transfer ware decorated with some hand done detail. The marks are for the piecework done by the decorator, so they got paid.

 

Thank you so much for your reply - I suspected they were old because the bases are very marked. They are a family heirloom so must have belonged to my great grandmother who lived in London. At about 110 years old I think I will now put them somewhere safe!

 

You're very welcome. Those pots make decent tea.

 

They do appear to be English redware.
Can we see close-up photos of the decoration and the bottom of the teapot? From the two photos provided, I would have guessed all hand-painted/sponged... I don't see transfer use, though that is possible. Also, JMHO, I would have guessed 1930s/40s, when painted brown betties were so popular in England... though your teapot is not a brown betty, which are traditionally globular-shaped. Your teapot is more evocative of the Royal Winton/Grimwades "countess" shape, popularly used for their tea-for-one breakfast sets in the 1930s-50s.
Your set isn't particularly valuable, but I like it!
EDIT: What are the sizes of the pieces? How many cups of tea would the teapot hold? FYI, since it hasn't been mentioned yet, you appear to have a teapot, a creamer jug, an open sugar bowl, and a water jug. Pity there's no cup/saucer!

 

Hi bluumz, thanks for your reply. As requested, I've taken some more photos a bit closer and tried to capture some of the areas where the paint has completely worn off. The spout is chipped and the inside stained, so I think my family used the teapot quite regularly. I love the happiness of the colours - it feels as though it tells me a bit about their personalities! Hopefully these extra photos help identify it even better. Thanks, Jane

 

Yep, painted/sponged all over, no transfer use.
Decorated but utilitarian, not expensive when new and only nominal value now. (Though with lots of sentimental value for you, of course!) And I still think 1930s/40s.
Sizes of items? (Just for curiosity's sake, really.)
I'm now doubting redware, however... are there any areas of unglazed clay? Redware uses, as the name implies, a red clay and the unglazed area would show that. Those dots (little unglazed areas?) on the bottom look whitish... indicating NOT redware.
An example of the bottom of a redware teapot:
Brown Betty teapots! | Antiques Board (antiquers.com)

 

So much info .... thank you!! On looking at the bottom of several of the pieces I can see red, so I suspect you are spot on with it being redware. (Which, showing my complete ignorance, I had never heard of until now!). The whitish bits are paint I think (where it's been put down when it was being made?) My family were not wealthy at all, so everything they have left me is wonderfully sentimental, but won't allow me to retire!! As for size, I don't drink tea, but I reckon probably 4 cups? I've taken some more pictures and one for sizing too shown against a can. If it's possible it's earlier than the 1930's then it could have been a wedding present for my grandmother who married in 1925 perhaps? Sadly no sign of a cup and saucer to match. I so value the expertise you all have whenever I post here - the history of antiques fascinates me and you all always have the answers!! So thank you again. Jane

 

Ah, yes, I do vote for redware now I've seen the latest photos.

EDIT: I also see writing... Is it something-LAND?... Can you make out ENGLAND?

 

We don't call it redware, it's just a red clay body, which is typical. 1925 would be fine as a later production.

I'd really like a sharp focus image of that decoration.

 

Trying to update my knowledge here...
I see both unglazed and glazed red clay items called redware all over the internet (on both British and American sites), and even on museum websites, is that actually a widespread misnomer? I certainly don't want to spread false info.
Example:
Redware Storage Jars – Cauldon Ceramics

 

Hello - thanks to you both for helping me with this. I can also make out what could be 'land' on the base of the cream jug ... do you think the marks above it could be 'eng'? I've also attached 3 further pictures - the first is the teapot, the second is the water jug and the 3rd is both of them showing they are decorated very differently. Unfortunately I only have an iphone so I can't get any better focus I don't think. Thanks, Jane

 

Probably says Made in England.

 

It is probably just an incomplete MADE IN ENGLAND stamp. I think I see the DE from "MADE" above the LAND from "ENGLAND"...?

Each piece may have been decorated by a different artist, hence the difference in splotch style.

 

Redware: it's not an incorrect term, it's just that it isn't commonly used here.

I'm wondering who wrote the Cauldon piece for them. It doesn't read as English English, if that makes sense.

Ah. Just looked elsewhere on the website. It cites zip codes. And has much American spelling.