English Creamware Pottery Cauliflower Coffee Pot and Cover,
Staffordshire,
Circa 1760-70

The  lead-glazed earthenware creamware "cauliflower" coffeepot and over has a pear-shaped body molded around the lower half with four large overlapping green-glazed leaves continuing on the spout.  The upper body, spout end, and domed cover molded with white florets, the cover with a white floret knop, and the 'notched' scroll handle glazed in green.

Colonial Williamsburg notes that Naturalism was an important theme echoed in the decorative arts of the mid-eighteenth century. This fascination with nature was reflected in the types of ceramic wares produced throughout England. Staffordshire potters produced molded tea wares made to mimic the natural world including the coloration of tortoise shell, the look of agate stone, and many fruits and vegetables including cauliflower.

The green of the leaves was produced through the addition of copper oxide to the surface of the jug and the white of the florets is the natural color of the refined earthenware clay. The entire body is coated in a lead glaze. Iron impurities in the glaze cause the white clay to have a yellowish cast.

Dimensions: 10 1/2 inches high x 8 inches wide x 5 inches deep (26.67cm high x 20.32cm wide x 12.7cm deep).

Reference: See an identical example at Colonial Williamsburg, Object number2005-179,A&B, (https://emuseum.history.org/objects/78837/coffeepot)

(Ref: NY10642-nrpc)