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And You thought Chintz Was Just Wallpaper!

© Barbara Bell

Chintz, once confined to wallpaper and slipcovers, became a popular china pattern in the early part of this century when artisans would cut a pattern from floral lithographs and apply it to a dish or cup, matching flowers perfectly ... just like matching wallpaper strips. Using transfers was less expensive than hand-painting and many potteries and porcelain manufacturers had been using the transfer process for over one hundred years.

Although the china with the all-over flower pattern has been produced around the world (including Germany, Japan and Czechoslovakia), the most sought-after versions are from the Staffordshire factories in England. The most desirable chintzware was produced by James Kent, Crown Ducal, Lord Nelson and Royal Winton. Chintz fabric was extremely popular during the late 1800's and the first two or three decades of the 20th century. Matching one's tea service to one's linens or upholstery seemed to be marketing genius. The American distributors eagerly joined the trend by requesting entire dinner services.

Because new patterns were constantly in demand, the manufacturers turned to such tricks of the trade as changing the background color of a popular pattern from yellow to black or from black to white, thus extending the life of a successful pattern without expending much money on new patterns. Hundreds of patterns were developed, and Royal Winton, for instance, produced over 80 chintz patterns in the course of 50 years.

Today's collectors seem to have their favorites. Some of the least favorite among modern collectors were extremely successful when first introduced in the 1920's. But buyer beware: new and reproduction chintz is appearing that is very difficult to distinguish from the old pieces. Victoria Magazine, for instance, has commissioned its own dinnerware and teapots in a chintz pattern designed exclusively for its readers.

After the Second World War, factories which had suspended production of chintzware for the war effort began manufacturing chintzware once again. But it had suffered from its quaintness - new buyers wanted modern china. Scandinavian furniture, plastic, and abstract art predominated the scene. By the end of the 1940's, chintzware had lost its preeminence. Ironically, two generations later, it is once again in demand.

Good resources: Susan Scott's Chintz Musings. Scott wrote The Charlton Catalogue of Chintz-Third Edition. This is a great site, with detailed history and photos.

Chintz Collectibles and its companion site, Antique Chintz, are colorful and helpful resources for collectors of both modern reproductions and vintage Chintz.

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