Novelty teapots hold a special fascination in the hearts of the people who avidly collect them. The history of the weird and wonderful teapot is a colourful one that reflects social changes.

In China, where tea-drinking originated, porcelain production was more advanced than in the rest of the world. By the 18th century, the teapots made at Yixing were being turned into shapes that had special meanings – like a peach for long life and good luck, and a pomegranate for healthy children. These early teapots, when imported to Europe, inspired potters to develop their own flights of fancy.

Some of the earliest novelty teapots to be made in England were by Wedgwood and Whieldon. They were cast into the shapes of pineapples and the (not quite so exotic) cauliflower. By the end of the mid-1750s, teapots began to appear as houses, cockerels, dragons and birds.

Strange and amusing varieties continued to be produced throughout the 18th and 19th centuries. Some tried to reinvent the tea-making process with various compartments inside them, some were just decorative while others made sarcastic comments on people of the day.

In Victorian times, sales of novelty teapots were booming and had established their own classic themes of cottages, Dickens characters and cute animals.

During the second half of the 19th century, the Staffordshire firms Minton and George Jones entered the novelty teapot field by producing their Majolica ranges. These included the animal, monkey and fish teapots now treasured by collectors.

The 20th century saw teapots being produced to commemorate silver jubilees, coronations and special events. The outbreak of the first world war saw a fall in the production and design of silly teapots. Some potteries made them with patriotic slogans to send to the troops, though how many arrived in one piece is another matter.

Before the start of the second world war in 1939, the firm James Sadler & Sons in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire – the centre of the area known as “The Potteries” – produced lots of collectable novelty teapots in the shape of cars, aeroplanes and tanks.

During the 1970s, a new breed of potter was leaving college eager to try out new ideas. Names like Roger Mitchell, Tony Carter and Paul Cardew began making their mark on the teapot world. Their small cottage companies produce novelty teapots in their thousands, including ones in the shapes of toilets, books, cocktail bars, tents and even coffee-grinders.

Cultivating eccentricity

The Teapottery in Wensleydale, Yorkshire – www.teapottery.co.uk – is the home of the eccentric teapot. Set up in 1978, the company makes wacky pots in the shape of everything from toasters to caravans, and even No. 10 Downing Street. Its off-beat designs have been spotted lurking on the set of the hit TV show Absolutely Fabulous and in pop videos.

Sandra Hewitt from The Teapottery believes it’s only right that the cup of tea has been chosen as an English icon: “We rely on that good old cuppa so much – everything stops for tea!

“As for novelty teapots, they are a good English tradition. The Americans love them, and see them as a typical eccentricity. A novelty teapot on the table was once just a conversation piece but now it’s an heirloom. Collectors travel far and wide to find that elusive teapot for their collection.”