T J & J Mayer Black Transferware Teapot

Greetings,
I'm having some trouble figuring out the pattern and year of this teapot, and I've done a lot of searching on ebay, etsy, rubylane, google, and google reverse image searches with absolutely no luck.

The most I can figure is that its a very early Mayer piece based on the bland small ID Mark on the bottom which is just a small faint underglaze impression that reads "MAYER". I've seen a lot of later marks where started putting fancy stuff in their marks, along with standard British registration diamond I think?

Its nearly impossible to photograph the mark on my phone, but I gave it a try anyway. There is also something that looks like 3 crescent moons impressed near the mark as well.

 

Can't help much with the ID, but I think you did very well on the photos.

 

Is there possibly an E before the name Mayer? The teapot strikes me as English so I looked over at the website " thepotteries.org " and they list an Elijah Mayer who did an impressed mark in 1785-1804. http://www.thepotteries.org/mark/m/mayere.html I also saw TJ&J Mayer there. What makes you think it's that company?

Otherwise, I got nothin'. But it's very early in the day and someone else will surely come along to help.

 

No, theres definitey no traces of another letter before "MAYER". A brief browse thru images of available T J & J Teapots makes it really clear (to me) that this is T J & J. The pot absolutely screams T J & J, and they have other black transferware products including teapots. But mostly the shape and style of the teapots are very physically similar. I'd put a large sum of money that this is T J & J and not some other Mayer.

Here is an example of a T J & J teapot that i find strikingly similar from the physical flourishes and the patterns in the transfer art:

 

I think the shape of your teapot would probably date 1830's or so. I did find a sugar bowl of similar shaped feet etc "T" Mayer impressed mark but as the "T" is akilter I'm not entirely sure it's for Thomas Mayer.

I also found a teapot of same shape, different pattern, with mention of a stamped Mayer mark but no photo of it.

Godden's British marks book doesn't show or mention any of the many Mayer potters as using just an impressed "Mayer". Likewise while it mentions T. Mayer as a printed mark used by Thomas Mayer, it doesn't specifically mention an impressed one.
http://www.thepotteries.org/mark/m/mayert.html

I have a few books that show some patterns by pattern name and if I get a chance I'll browse through if no one has more info.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/T-Mayer-Lo...Pink-Transfer-Ware-Staffordshire/254144212454



https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/19c-red-transferware-signed-mayer-127266298

" Stamped "MAYER" on the base"

 

You can see your pot on replacements.com; their inventory code is MAY2.

 

The replacements teapot is a little different shape but the pattern looks right. The plate in that pattern has a man on a zebra in the center and it looks like that might also be on the teapot spout so that may lead to a pattern name.
https://www.replacements.com/p/mayer-t-j-j-england-may2-teapot-lid/maymay2/84333241

 

I was so excited to find the same pattern that I didn't notice the difference in handles!

 

son of a gun, this is embarassing. I took 8 photographs from different angles but never photoed or inspected this CLOSELY from straight forward. looking at it in a profile view, its as you see it in my first photo at a glance... more floral looking things. But after the last 2 posts i actually turned the spout facing me, and LO AND BEHOLD:


I swear, I skimmed right by the replacements.com listing that janet mentioned because the plate in the first picture "didn't match". Well this is definitely a big leap in the hunt. replacements.com agrees with say_it around 1830ish. Almost to the finish line.

 

I had a look through Snyder's Romantic Staffordshire Ceramics and the two volumes of Coysh and Henrywood Dictionary of Blue and White Printed Pottery 1780-1880. I didn't see this pattern.

The mounted zebra pattern shown was Roger's as well as a rare similar one by Spode. Perhaps the Mayer one is a version of the same? There are also Bourne copper plates mentioned.

I also found a listing on Etsy for a piece in this pattern that they thought might be Mogul pattern however it doesn't seem to match the pattern as I found it so I've included it also.



https://www.etsy.com/listing/601169595/antique-china-brown-transferware-saucer

 

well apparently there are multiple mogul scenery mayer patterns, and that etsy listing you found does match the replacements pattern plate that also includes my close teapot match, other than that the etsy listing is a brown transferware.

I think the guy might be correct on calling this a mogul scenery pattern. the bridge and background structures in the pattern do look pretty asian. I wasn't aware of that definition of 'mogul' but according to merriam webster:
mogul / moghul / mughal : an Indian Muslim of or descended from one of several conquering groups of Mongol, Turkish, and Persian origin.

Seems plausible?

 

another mayer mogul scenery pattern with both an elephant and a zebra rider
https://www.rubylane.com/item/1363432-RL-00099/Antique-Purple-Staffordshire-Transfer-Ware-Ironstone

just realized thats the same pattern as the last picture say_it's last post, it was just zoomed out far enough i couldn't tell if it was horse or zebra

 

All the borders I'm seeing are very different so I have no idea.