WOOD & SONS TEAPOT

Q: I've been collecting teapots for a while now, but I'm having trouble dating a couple of Wood & Sons teapots in my collection. Can you help me out?

A: Wood & Sons was founded in 1865 in Burslem, England, and operated potteries in several locations. Wood owned shares in Ellgreave Pottery, founded in 1921, and eventually that company became part of Wood & Sons. The Ellgreave name was not used after 1978. Marks similar to the one on your teapot, with the names of Ralph, Aaron and Moses Wood, were made beginning in the late 1940s.

WWII TEAPOT MARK

Q: This teapot was given to me by someone who said these were given to soldiers during World War II. Is this true?

A: Teapots similar to yours were made during World War II, but not for the soldiers, who were much too busy for tea. They were made to raise money for the war effort. The teapots we have seen are black, like yours, and are decorated with flowers. A few were made in a smaller size. The words "For England and Democracy" are usually printed around the lid. Teapots with the words "Escorted to U.S.A. by Royal Navy" were also made. From 1939 until the end of the war in 1945, ships crossing the Atlantic were protected by Allied escort ships from the United States, Canada and England. The mark on the bottom of the teapot is the Staffordshire knot, indicating the pottery was made by one of the Staffordshire potteries. There is probably more to this story. Can anyone tell us more?

DARBY & JOAN TEAPOT

Darby and Joan

Q: I have had this teapot for many years. There is an old woman on one side and an old man on the other. There is a mark on the bottom and the words "Darby & Joan" and "Tony Wood." Who were Darby and Joan?

A: It was common for women in the 17th century to call their husband by his last name rather than his first name. Darby and Joan were John Darby, probably a printer, and his wife, Joan, who lived in Bartholomew Close, an area of London, about 1700. They became famous when a ballad was written about them about 1756. They were also mentioned in writings, plays, and a ballet during the early 1800s. The characters are well-known in England and their names are used to describe an old, happily married couple of modest means. There are even Darby and Joan Clubs in The United Kingdom that hold dances and other social events for senior citizens. Tony Wood, a descendant of the 18th-century English potter Ralph Wood, operated a pottery in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, England, from 1980 to the mid 1990s. He made novelty teapots, toby mugs, and other ceramic items. The novelty teapots usually sell for under $20.

CUNARD CUBE

Cunard Cube

Q: This little pitcher is 4 1/2 in. high and is marked "The Cube." What was it used for?

A: Robert C. Johnson designed the cube teapot in 1916 but the first cube teapots were not made until 1920. The cube design was popular until the early 1950s. The cube-shaped pot was dripless and easy to store. Several companies made cube teapots in different colors and designs. Large and small teapots, creamers, cube sugars, and souvenir sets were made. Cube teapots were used on Cunard oceanliners beginning in the 1920s. Large cube teapots were used in the dining rooms and smaller sets were made for staterooms. The plain white teapots made for Cunard's liners are the most easily found today. George Clews & Co., in business from 1906 to 1961, probably made your small cube teapot for Cunard's ship Queen Mary.