Tea Leaf Ironstone

Tea Leaf Ironstone collectors know how hard it is to tell the difference between a sugar bowl lid and a teapot lid. They can be the same size, but the teapot lid has a steam hole and the sugar does not. It is also hard to find a missing lid that matches. See if the body and lid shape are the same, round, square, hexagonal or oval. See if the trim pattern is the same. Are the handles on the base like the handle and finial on the lid? If there is embossing, it too should match. The wrong lid will often fit because the opening to the sugar bowl is the same on many patterns. These tips help with other sets of dishes too.