Mark Branstner commented that all of the pieces of Tea Leaf decorated
wares that he has seen in antique shops have included "England" as part of
the mark.  He was wondering if the wares were made before the 1892 McKinley
Tariff required the country of origin to be marked on ceramics.  I have
heard that there is a society of Tea Leaf Collectors but do not have any
information on the group.  There is at least one book on the subject, which
is:

Annise Doring Heaivilin
1981  Grandma's Tea Leaf Ironstone: A History and Study of English and
American Potteries.  Wallace-Homestead Book Co. Des Moines, Iowa.

On the table of contents page in her book, she lists 26 English and 17
American potters that made Tea Leaf style wares.  The list of English
potters has the following potters who were out of business before the 1892
McKinley Tariff.
|--------------------------------+--------------|
| Potter                         | Their end    |
|                                | date         |
|--------------------------------+--------------|
| Baker & Chetwynd Co.           | 1875         |
|--------------------------------+--------------|
| E. & C. Challinor              | 1880         |
|--------------------------------+--------------|
| Davenport                      | 1887         |
|--------------------------------+--------------|
| Elsmore & Foster               | 1887         |
|--------------------------------+--------------|
| Edward Walley                  | 1856         |
|--------------------------------+--------------|



From these dates, it is clear that Tea Leaf had to have been in production
sometime before 1856, however, it is most common seen on sites from the
1890s to ca 1920.

Peace,
George L. Miller
URS Corporation
561 Cedar Lane
Florence, New Jersey 08518