Club resources to help you learn more about your Tea Leaf

The Tea Leaf Club is frequently contacted by individual collectors or family members who have inherited collections who want to learn more about the items they have.  The Club has published several papers to help you know more about your collection.  

(Please be aware that the Tea Leaf Club is not able to provide pricing advice or valuation and appraisal services.  We do not have certified appraisers available to provide this assistance.  To find out what Tea Leaf is selling for, one resource is to check the SOLD LISTINGS on eBay - these represent actual prices for items that have sold, as opposed to the prices that sellers are asking for unsold TEA LEAF pieces.)

TEA LEAF ITEM IDENTIFICATION GUIDE

Are you a new collector, or have you been collecting for a while and still have questions about your collection? 

Wondering what the difference is between a soap dish and a butter dish?

Do you have a punch bowl or a posset bowl, and is it supposed to have a lid?

Are you puzzled about what an item in your collection was used for?

The Education Committee has come to your rescue and developed an 20-page Item Identification Guide to help you figure out what you have!

TEA LEAF CHILDREN'S ITEMS

In addition to adult-size pieces, several Tea Leaf manufacturers also produced toy sets.  Learn more about children's Tea Leaf in this article.

TEA LEAF VALUE GUIDE

This value guide was created by Tea Leaf Club International in response to frequent inquiries from individuals needing to make decisions on the disposition of a Tea Leaf Ironstone collection for themselves, a family member, or a friend. These individuals are often unfamiliar with Tea Leaf Ironstone or today’s Tea Leaf Ironstone collecting market. This Value Guide is not intended to be all-inclusive. It is intended to provide a high-level overview.

TEA LEAF IRONSTONE BODY STYLE AND POTTERS HANDBOOKS

Tea Leaf Ironstone china was made on 200+ different body styles.  When you say you have a "coffeepot" you are actually saying that you have one of over 250 different styles of coffeepots manufactured.  (Here is an example of the various styles of coffeepots which were made.)  Values will depend on the potter, the body syle, the decorative motif, whether the item is copper or gold lustre, whether you have an adult-size or child's size piece, condition, etc.  To help you identify what you have, the Club has created an online guide, also available as printed handbooks. 

Here are free copies of the 2019 Body Style and Potters Handbooks:

Access a copy of the Tea Leaf Ironstone Body Style Handbook

Access a copy of the Tea Leaf Ironstone Potters Handbook

These books do not include pricing information.  No current price guide exists for Tea Leaf ironstone china.