{"product_id":"swan-brand-the-carlton-antique-aluminum-teapot-2-cup-made-in-england-etched-floral-bakelite-handle-1950s-cromalin-ware","title":"Swan Brand The Carlton Antique Aluminum Teapot | 2-Cup | Made in England | Etched Floral | Bakelite Handle | 1950s | Cromalin Ware","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe body is aluminum, polished to a silver tone and dressed in a band of hand-etched Rococo scrollwork — acanthus curves and stylized florals pressed into the metal surface by a craftsman's tool, not a machine. Below the engraving, the finish shifts to a fine pebbled hammering that runs to the base. The handle and lid finial are black Bakelite, original, and intact.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe base is stamped plainly: \u003cem\u003eSwan Brand. Made in England. 2 Cups. The Carlton.\u003c\/em\u003e It is a Bulpitt \u0026amp; Sons production from their Birmingham works — the same factory that, in 1922, introduced the world's first immersed-element electric kettle. The Carlton line was their domestic teapot standard, manufactured in the 1940s through the early 1960s and sold in graduated sizes as a household gift and a hotel-service staple.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe interior carries the darkened patina of actual use — tannin absorbed into aluminum over years of brewing. The engraving is crisp. The lid seats properly. The Bakelite shows no cracking.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eA two-cup pot was never intended for the family table. It was made for one person, for one hour, in a room of one's own.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCondition:\u003c\/strong\u003e Good to very good. Exterior Cromalin plating intact with light age patina. Etched decoration crisp and legible. Interior shows tannin staining consistent with use. No dents. Bakelite handle and lid finial original, no cracks, rivets secure. Lid fits and seats correctly.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch4\u003eHunter's Notes\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eI knew what it was the second I picked it up. Aluminum has a particular lightness to it — almost too light, like it shouldn't be real. This one was sitting at the Salvation Army in Shelby Township, and it stopped me cold. Small. Barely bigger than two fists together. But there's a band of hand-etched scrollwork around the middle that someone actually cared about once.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eWhen I turned it over and read The Carlton, something clicked. Hotel service ware. Somebody brought this home from a trip — tucked it in a bag the way you take a towel or a robe and tell yourself it doesn't really count. I always wonder how far these things traveled before they ended up somewhere in Michigan.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eIt's small enough to belong in a child's tea party, and I thought about that when I picked it up. But I can't confirm it's lead-free, so I won't say that out loud. What I will say: if it's food safe, it makes the sweetest little memento. If not — it belongs in a windowsill vase with garden clippings, or on a cottage shelf between other English pieces, looking like it's always been exactly there.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch5\u003eThe Archive Record — JLM-250001\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\n\u003ctable style=\"width: 100%;\" width=\"100%\"\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eMaker\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBulpitt \u0026amp; Sons Ltd, Birmingham, England\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eEstablished\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e1880s — Birmingham metalware manufacturer; first immersed-element electric kettle, 1922\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eObject\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eTwo-cup teapot — The Carlton line\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eMaterial\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eAluminum (Cromalin Ware); black Bakelite handle and lid finial\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eConstruction\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eSpun and formed aluminum; hand-etched Rococo scrollwork band; pebbled hammer finish below; Bakelite handle and finial on original rivets\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eEra\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eCirca 1940s–1960s | confidence: attributed\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eCountry of Origin\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eEngland — confirmed (Swan Brand \/ Made in England stamp)\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eCondition Tier\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eGood\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eCondition\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eExterior Cromalin plating intact with light age patina. Etched decoration crisp and legible. Interior tannin staining consistent with use. No dents. Bakelite handle and finial original, no cracks, rivets secure. Lid seats correctly.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eHunt Provenance\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eSalvation Army, Shelby Township, MI — January 2026\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eAuthentication\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eStruck base stamp — Swan Brand \/ The Carlton \/ Made in England \/ 2 Cups; Bulpitt \u0026amp; Sons Ltd Birmingham\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eComparable Sold\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e$20–$45 (eBay \/ Etsy — May 2026)\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eJLM Price\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e$9.00\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eFood Safe\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eUnknown — recommend caution; aluminum teapot; interior tannin-stained from prior use\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eLead Risk\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eHome lead test negative — result not independently verified; professional testing recommended before food use\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eChild Safe\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eHome lead test negative but unverified — use adult judgment; not recommended for unsupervised child use\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eGift Idea\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eTea Lover, English Kitchen Collector, Cottagecore Decorator, Housewarming\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\n\u003ch5\u003eProduct Specs\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003ctable style=\"width: 100%;\" width=\"100%\"\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eDimensions\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e7″ L × 4″ W × 4″ H\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eWeight\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e0.25 lb\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e","brand":"Jolene Le Mille","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48888976277732,"sku":"JLM-250001","price":9.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0801\/3175\/2164\/files\/F5DFF477-3FF7-453A-B536-9834B004B6AB.jpg?v=1778207496","url":"https:\/\/jolenelemille.com\/products\/swan-brand-the-carlton-antique-aluminum-teapot-2-cup-made-in-england-etched-floral-bakelite-handle-1950s-cromalin-ware","provider":"Jolene Le Mille","version":"1.0","type":"link"}