Minerva Garland - John Madlock & Sons

Name: John Madlock & Sons
 
Type: Large Oval Serving Platter
 
Year: Circa 1930s–1940s
 
Set: No
 
Mark: John Madlock & Sons - John Maddock & Sons Ltd, England (Stoke-on-Trent)
 
History: This is a large, oval, earthenware serving platter in the "Minerva Garland" pattern by John Maddock & Sons Ltd. The pattern features bright, polychrome transfer-printed flowers in a garland layout with a green hand-painted trim, all on a lightly cream, crazed glaze ground. The central floral spray and additional small posies on the rim are typical for Maddock’s cheerful pre-war and immediate post-war tableware.
 
 
The platter is clearly marked with the John Maddock & Sons Ltd backstamp, including "ENGLAND" and the registration number 737954, which dates the pattern to around the late 1930s to early 1940s. John Maddock & Sons was a well-known Staffordshire potter, active in Stoke-on-Trent, with a reputation for both export and domestic wares. The "Minerva" shape and the registration number further pinpoint this as a pre-war to wartime production piece.
 
 
The piece exhibits uniform glaze crazing, which is expected for its age. There is no major chipping, though there is staining and some wear. Its value on the US market is typically $40–$60 USD if free of cracks and only moderate discoloration. Heavy damage or repairs can drop this figure.
 
Flaws: Visible crazing and discolouration due to age