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Two former butcher's shops in Dunedin have decorative tiles of cows (one has sheep as well).  They are quite distinctive portrayals, notable for the slightly raised outlines, possibly created by using a slip trailer.  I believe I've seen such tiles on butcher's shops elsewhere in New Zealand and Australia.

Tiles on Barton's Buildings at 2 Stafford Street.  According to David Murray's Built in Dunedin, the building was constructed in 1928, a butchery operated at the location from 1913 to 1980, and businesses have operated in the site since James MacAndrew opened a store there in 1851. 

It is unclear who created these tiles.  In the Barton family, the understanding is that George Barton senior commissioned the tiles from Royal Doulton in the United Kingdom (source: In a 30 March 2026 email Margo Barton, says her father, Reg Barton, heard it was a Royal Doulton commission from his father, George Barton senior).

Another strong possibility is the famous Scottish tiling firm, James Duncan Ltd, which operated from 1865 to 1965 and produced decorative tiles quite similar to these (1, 2, 3, 4).

Finally, there does appear to be some misinformation in contemporary news stories.  Built in Dunedin cites a couple of articles in the Evening Star from 1927-28 providing details about the construction; the contractors were Lawrence & Sons and the architect William Henry Dunning.  Further, "Crown Derby tiled panels depicting sheep and Highland steers were fixed to the ground floor facade facing Stafford Street." 

Artificial intelligence can get things wrong, but an AI Overview on Google states:
Royal Crown Derby is a renowned manufacturer of high-quality fine bone china tableware and ornamental items; there is no evidence that they produced ceramic tiles, specifically those associated with butcher shops.

The association between "Crown Derby" and tiles may stem from a misunderstanding or a separate, unrelated company. Royal Crown Derby's product range has consistently focused on luxury porcelain items like plates, cups, figurines, and paperweights, not architectural tiles.

Tiles in traditional butcher shops were commonly ceramic, often white or with simple decorative patterns (e.g., of cows or other animals), chosen for hygiene and ease of cleaning. These were typically standard industrial or decorative tiles produced by different manufacturers, not by the luxury porcelain maker Royal Crown Derby.
revised 30 March 2026.

According to Built in Dunedin, several butcheries operated at 49-51 Stuart Street from 1922 to about 1993.
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