Yes....ironstone. It's beautiful. Almost every pottery made tureens, and without marks it would take some snooping to venture an educated guess. Why would you jump right to Red Cliff? Guard that ladle with your life. LOL. My DD was emptying my tureen and knocked it against the bowl to dislodge some noodles and of course I'm standing there as the whole scene unfolds in slow motion and the ladle shatters as I knew it would.

I don't know that this is a particularly old piece. How was it acquired and in what general area.

Red Cliff ironstone is not old....it is reproduction "old" stuff. Very nice but not antique.
I don't know that Red Cliff was ever unmarked..
I am more inclined to think your tureen is porcelain and not ironstone.
It's beautiful,,,,but not "old".
Linda C

How do you tell the difference between the two?
(ironstone, porcelain)

Forgot .. Got it for $8.00 at a local Goodwill here in Virginia. 8)

Porcelain is translucent. Pottery (ironstone) is opaque.

This is the answer that someone gave me on how to tell if this tureen was porcelain or ironstone.

The tureen is not translucent.

I only say red-cliff because it is the closest that I have found to mine.

For instance, the following picture is one of a ladle that belongs to a red-cliff tureen being sold on ebay.

If you wish to see the auction and tureen to compare .. I am posting a link.

This is NOT my auction and I have no interest in it other than the comparisons of my tureen and theirs.

The tureen 'is' different but similar.

Here is a link that might be useful: TUREEN

You can tell ironstone just by looking at it if you've ever worked potteries. The thickness of the ware is the most obvious indicator, and ironstone typically has more flowing lines not as crisp. I've seen some imported from Portugal ironstone platters from Wallyword, and actually were quite pretty. My ironstone tureen from a local pottery was significantly more expensive than $8, and no wonder imports shut our artware manufacturers down.

I don't know if it's a reproduction or not, but it's a lovely piece.

calliope .. I got this at my local Goodwill and not from a pottery or artware manufacturer so it wouldn't affect the price of those folks wares.

antiquesilver .. Thank You!
It is a very nice piece indeed and to find it in a thrift store was an added bonus! 8)

Ironstone and porcelain are both high fired. Ironstone was invented by Josia Wedgewood and a few years later the patent was bought by Chas. Mason who made it a commercial success. It is harder that stronger than earthenware, but not resonant like porcelain and the ware is somewhat absorbant which is why you often see white ironstone with discoloration.
I don't know what your piece is nor certainly who made it for sure without a backstamp or a picture of that piece in a catalog, but if it rings it's made of harder stuff than "white ironstone".
The pattern seems to be a copy of an old ironstone pattern.....and it's really gorgous!....and for $8!!!????
But it's not an antique.
Linda C

You can certainly find resonant stoneware, it doesn't all 'thud'. A better way to decide is opacity. If you see light transmitted through the material, it may be porcelain. Even people in the trade will argue a lot of pieces some would consider porcelain, others wouldn't, just a case of semanitcs. I did finish work at a pottery. What we produced was completely considered earthenware, stoneware or pottery. None of it was considered porcelain. Thousands of those pieces went through my fingers and this just screams stoneware to me. When you see a heavy, thickly walled piece, you can almost take it to the bank it's stoneware. I do apologise, however, about the reference to imports. I read your post as having got it Goodwill, as to having got it at *Mart. Brain fart. It's likely a newer piece, as I said. It was a very good buy at that price regardless of age and likely stoneware. New stoneware tureens would set you back at least forty dollars and this one is particularly pretty. I'm curious, if you flip over the tureen or the serving platter under it, is there a raw edge at all, or does the glaze completely cover the bottom?

calliope and Lindac

Thank you both for your comments.

calliope, the piece is fully glazed .. all over, including the bottom tray.

I have an Ironstone Red Cliff Tureen that is dated Oct '27. I always remember it being in my home growing up. I don't know if it was my parent's or grandparent's but it is a beautiful piece, especially because it is not an empty tureen but filled with my memories.

jes711

Pictures?