Despite the appeal of sleek modern interiors, the attraction of traditional farmhouse kitchens, with their rustic pine dressers and cheerful ceramic pots, never seems to diminish. This nostalgia for the style of a simpler age, along with the striking retro look, has made Cornishware storage jars a thriving collecting area.
Pop
ular with cooks and housewives throughout the 19th and 20th century, the famous blue and white banded pottery was originally introduced in the late 18th century. T. G. Green, who made Cornishware at the Church Gresley pottery from the 1790s, is the best known of numerous manufacturers all over Britain. Despite being located in Staffordshire, the firm was responsible for the Cornishware name, which was reputedly inspired by the blue of Cornish skies and white of breaking waves.
Storage jars were produced in large numbers and are one of the most popular Cornishware shapes today. Labelled examples tend to be more valuable than plain blue and white jars. A plain jar could be worth around £10-30 ($15-45) while a jar marked with a common ingredient such as “Flour”, “Coffee” or “Tea”, could be worth around £30-50 ($45-65). Rare wording pushes up the value considerably and a harder to find jar labelled “Cocoa” may be valued at £150-250 ($200-350) while a rare “Meal” storage jar could cost around £200-300 ($300-400).
When buying, be aware that not all blue and white banded jars are authentic Cornishware, and that in some cases, wording has been added to plain jars to increase the value. Wording, if original, should feel flat to the touch. Black or green shield marks, crossed with the words “Cornish Kitchen Ware”, were used during the 1920s to the 1940s. Most lettered Cornishware storage jars bear the black version of the mark. A target-shaped mark was used between 1968 and 1980 for the range designed by Judith Onions. Examples of Cornishware can be found relatively easily at antique markets, and it is still produced today.
