T.& R. Boote "Mealtime" Tile

This Aesthetic Movement tile pattern was registered on November 8, 1881, and is part of the “Children's Tea Party” (TCC name) series produced by T. & R. Boote. Boote was in business in Burslem, Staffordshire, from 1842 until 1906. Although the designer is unrecorded, the firm employed Kate Greenaway to design their ‘Seasons’ series of four tiles, also registered in 1881, and this series of four known tiles is in the same style, suggesting the possibility that Greenaway designed both series. The puzzle image has a full 6” square tile at center and portions of two identical flanking tiles. The pattern features a central square with an image of three small children seated at a table with bowls and spoons. The child to the right is slurping straight from the bowl and the child seen from the back is tied to a highchair. The border consists of four offset rectangles filled with floral motifs. The top and bottom have horizontal flowering cherry blossoms. The left has a large potted sunflower and the right a potted lily. Cherry blossoms, sunflowers, and lilies were three of the most prominent motifs associated with Aesthetic Movement design. “Mealtime” is a TCC assigned name, and the pattern is # 22477 in the TCC Database.