World War II Teapot
Q: This teapot was part of my aunt’s estate. It’s black with raised blue and pink dots, gold lettering and trim, and is 5 1/2 inches high. It says “For U.S.A. Britain and Democracy” on the lid. There is a looped rope mark on the bottom and the words “World War II, Made in England, Escorted to United States by the Allied Fleets.” It has a tag with the British flag and “Britain carries on” on one side and the story of how this teapot was made to sell in America. What is it worth?
A: The looped rope mark is called the Staffordshire knot. Several Staffordshire potteries made these teapots and sold them in the United States to raise money for the war effort in Britain during World War II. Some teapots were made with slightly different wording on the lid and “Escorted to the U.S.A. by Royal Navy” on the bottom. Your tag explains that they were made by women who replaced men “employed in defense of their country.” Credit for the sale of the teapots was applied to the debt Britain owed the United States for the purchase of war material. Merchant ships crossing the Atlantic during the war were protected from enemy attack by escort ships from the United States, England and Canada. The original hang tag adds provenance to your teapot. It’s rare to find the pot with the tag. Value of your teapot: up to $90 with the tag.
