• Vintage Barratts of Staffordshire Playtime teapot in blue and white transferware, shown from the front with spout to the left and handle to the right, pastoral scene of children at a fence.
  • Side view of the Playtime teapot facing the spout, showing the floral shoulder border and the transfer on the spout.
  • Reverse three-quarter view of the Barratts Playtime teapot with handle to the left and spout to the right.
  • Rear view of the teapot showing the loop handle with blue wheat-sprig decoration.
  • Overhead view of the teapot with lid in place, showing the Playtime scene on the lid, steam hole, spout and handle.
  • Interior of the teapot showing tea staining, brown spotting and a short vertical line on the right-hand wall at the handle join.
  • Base of the teapot with Barratts of Staffordshire England backstamp, crown mark and the pattern name Playtime.
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Barratts

Barratts of Staffordshire Teapot | Playtime Blue

Barratts of Staffordshire Teapot | Playtime Blue

R 850.00 ZAR
R 850.00 ZAR
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A mid-century Staffordshire teapot in Barratts’ Playtime pattern — blue transferware with a rural scene of children at a fence, a cottage beyond the trees, and a dense floral border wrapping the shoulder and lid. The handle carries a small wheat sprig in the same cobalt blue. It is the sort of piece that looks as well on a dresser as it does at the table.

Dimensions

- Height including the lid: 13.5 cm
- Spout to handle: 22.2 cm
- Capacity: 750 ml

Condition

Good — structurally sound with a complete lid and a strong transfer, but the interior staining is clearly visible.

Interior
- The well is tea-stained: an overall warm yellow cast plus scattered brown spots and a few darker marks.
- This is historic use staining, not structural damage, but it is immediately visible when the lid is lifted.
- A short vertical line is visible on the interior wall at the handle join. This may be a kiln/manufacture mark from the applied handle.

Body / Structure
- The teapot is intact.
- Body, spout, handle and foot present as one piece with no obvious chips, cracks or restoration.

Glaze / Surface
- Glossy white glaze over the body, with the usual light kiln specks and a few stray cobalt flecks from manufacture.
- No widespread crazing is obvious on the exterior.
- Soft, even wear consistent with age rather than harsh use.

Decoration / Transfer
- The Playtime scene, floral shoulder border, lid transfer and wheat sprig on the handle are all still strong and readable.
- No significant fading or large areas of missing print are visible.

Rim / Edges
- Lid seat and spout lip are clean.
- No chips or fleabites.

Lid
- Present and matching.
- Knob, transfer and fit all look original.
- The steam hole is open.

Handle / Spout
- Handle is complete, with the blue sprig intact.
- No restoration visible.

Base / Foot / Backstamp
- Unglazed biscuit foot ring with typical brown staining and kiln dirt.
- Printed mark is clear: crown, “PLAYTIME”, Barratts of Staffordshire, England.

Additional Information

1. Design & Features
- Globular body with fitted lid, curved spout and loop handle.
- The principal transfer shows a girl at a wooden fence and a boy playing the fiddle, with cottage, trees and garden beyond.
- A continuous floral and landscape border runs around the shoulder and across the lid.
- The reverse of the handle is decorated with a blue wheat or laurel sprig.

2. Craftsmanship
- English earthenware with underglaze blue transfer printing.
- The unglazed foot and printed factory mark are typical of Barratts’ mid-century tableware from the Overhouse Pottery.

3. About the Maker
- Barratts of Staffordshire Ltd was formed in 1943 when William Barratt took control of Gater Hall & Co. at the historic Overhouse Works in Burslem — a site with pottery roots going back through the Wedgwood family and Edward Challinor.
- The factory produced useful and decorative earthenware for home and export until the early 1990s, when the business merged into Royal Stafford.

4. Uses & Versatility
- Still a working teapot if you are comfortable with vintage interiors, and equally at home as a single statement piece among other blue-and-white.
- Playtime plates appear from time to time; the teapot is the more complete and photogenic form of the pattern.

5. Care Instructions
- Hand wash only.
- Avoid sudden temperature changes and the dishwasher.
- A gentle soak can soften interior staining, but do not scrub the transfer.
- Dry thoroughly, including under the lid and around the foot.

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