What is it?An English chintz cup and...

What is it?

An English chintz cup and saucer by Lord Nelson Ware in the Royal Brocade pattern. It sold for 75 cents in the 1930s.

What’s the history?

Chintz fabrics arrived in England in the late 17th century from India. The fabrics featured brightly colored flowers and mythical birds. Even before 1800, chintz was synonymous with homey, cozy, over-stuffed furniture and fabrics.

The legend?

The first modern chintz pattern to be made into china for dinnerware was Marguerite in 1928 by Grimwades Ltd. in England. Apparently the pattern’s design was taken from a cushion cover that Leonard Grimwade’s wife was embroidering at the time.

When was it first sold?

Although vases and boxes in chintz-like patterns were sold around 1912, it wasn’t until the 1920s that dinnerware was produced. It was created mainly for the middle-class, not for the “carriage trade.”

Soon after it was imported to the U.S., where there has long been a market for English china.

How was it made?

The patterns on chintz ceramic ware were made possible by the invention of transfer printing.

Why is it so popular now?

Norm Wheatcroft, owner of Crofton Antiques in Costa Mesa, says the china is decorative and well-crafted. And there’s another factor: “The main reason it’s especially popular right now is that Martha Stewart did a program with her kitchen cabinet full of chintz ware,” he says.

What’s it worth now?

The cup and saucer above sells for $75 at Crofton Antiques. Prices are rising due to scarcity and popularity. Repairs lessen the value. Because most of the workers making the chintz ware were girls as young as 14, the pieces vary in perfection.

Where can you find it?

Many antique stores carry chintz ware. The bright colors and resemblance to chintz fabric make them easy to spot.

For more information: “The Charlton Standard Catalogue of Chintz” (The Charlton Press, $18) by Linda Eberle and Susan Scott. There is also the Chintz Collectors Club, P.O. Box, 6126, Folsam, CA 95763; phone/fax, (916) 985-6762.

To have an item considered for this column, send information and a photo to What’s It Worth, Home Design, The Times Orange County, 1375 Sunflower Ave., Costa Mesa, CA 92626.