Majolica Decorative Objects
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Material: Majolica
20th Century Art Nouveau Majolica Vase by Gerbing
Stephan, AT ca. 1910
Located in Lichtenberg, AT
Remarkable, rare Art Nouveau majolica vase by the world famous manufactory of Gerbing
Stephan from the early period in Austria around 1910. The beautiful shaped grey blue color...
Category
Early 20th Century Austrian Art Nouveau Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Ceramic, Majolica
Antique Blue Art Nouveau Vase Rococo Style 38cm
Located in Poperinge, BE
Ceramic vase made of majolica earthenware, elaborately decorated with a typical Art Nouveau design, featuring leaves, stems, and curves inspired by the rocaille or rococo style, circ...
Category
Early 1900s French Art Nouveau Antique Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Majolica
Vintage Animal Figure Figural Group Italian Ceramic XL Roosters Porcelain
Located in Wommelgem, VAN
Art Deco mid Century Italian porcelain 2 roosters on a tree trunk
Material: Porcelain, Ceramic, Tin glazed
Design: In the manner of Cacciapuoti
Origin: Italy, first half 20th century...
Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Baroque Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Ceramic, Majolica, Porcelain
Small French Majolica Swan Jardiniere Circa 1890
Located in Austin, TX
Small French Majolica Swan Jardiniere Circa 1890.
Height / 4 inches.
Lenght / 5.2 by 2.5 inches.
Category
1890s French Art Nouveau Antique Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Majolica, Ceramic
Large Handled 19th Century French Majolica Flowers Vase
Located in Austin, TX
Large 19th Century French Majolica Flowers Vase,
Impressionist period and style.
22 inches Height.
Category
1880s French Country Antique Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Ceramic, Faience, Majolica
Pair of Majolica Flowers
Leaves Cache Pots Luneville Circa 1890
Located in Austin, TX
Pair of Majolica Flowers & Leaves signed Luneville Cache Pots Circa 1890,
H / 7 inches , D / 9 inches by 7 inches.
Category
1890s French Art Nouveau Antique Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Ceramic, Majolica
Rare French Majolica Rabbit Pitcher, circa 1900
Located in Austin, TX
French Majolica beige pitcher rabbit with a medal 1900, made for the International Exhibition in Paris of 1900.
The pitcher is stamped by the store where he was sold Compagnie Franco...
Category
Early 1900s French Country Antique Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Ceramic, Faience, Majolica
Vallauris Yellow White Brown Ceramic Fat Lava Round Bowl / Ashtray, 1950s
By Vallauris
Located in Barcelona, ES
French Mid-Century Vallauris ashtray / bowl in glazed ceramic.
Beautiful fat lava glazed ceramic ashtray in yellow, amber, white and brown colors. Manufactured by Vallauris. France, ...
Category
Mid-20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Ceramic, Majolica
19th Century English Majolica Gurgling Fish Pitcher Jug
Located in Pearland, TX
A superb antique English majolica glazed ceramic gurgling fish pitcher or glug jug, circa 1880. Maker's mark on reverse. This whimsical fish pitcher has a stylish design in a lovely ...
Category
1880s British Victorian Antique Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Ceramic, Majolica
Ceramic Hand-Painted Candlestick Candle Holder by DeSimone, Italy
Located in Bad Säckingen, DE
This vintage figural candlestick by Giovanni Desimone Italy is a unique and eye-catching piece of decorative art. DeSimone was a renowned Italian ceramicist and designer who worked in the mid-20th century, known for his whimsical and colorful ceramic sculptures...
Category
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Ceramic, Majolica, Pottery
$132 Sale Price
20% Off
Vallauris Ceramic Centerpiece Bowl, Oxblood Faience, France, 1950s
By Vallauris
Located in Valencia, VC
Large Vallauris Hand-Made Faience Ceramic Centerpiece, France, 1950s
An absolutely stunning large ceramic fruit bowl or centerpiece, featuring an intricate sculptural body in rich o...
Category
1950s French Mid-Century Modern Vintage Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Ceramic, Faience, Majolica
$839 Sale Price
20% Off
Art Nouveau Faience Handled Vase with Drip Glaze, Belgium
Located in Clifton Springs, NY
Striking large ceramic vase features the organic, rounded shape with 3 curved, free-flowing decorative handles. It is decorated in characteristic Belgian Art Nouveau style with the u...
Category
Early 20th Century Belgian Art Nouveau Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Ceramic, Faience, Majolica, Pottery
Bitossi Aldo Londi Midcentury Vintage Italian Large Ceramic Vase/Pitcher, 1960s
By Aldo Londi, Bitossi
Located in Valencia, VC
Rare Bitossi for Ceramiche Paoli Large Vase – Mid-Century Neolithic-Inspired Design
A striking example of Aldo Londi’s masterful work, this large ceramic vase embodies the timeless influence of Neolithic utility pottery, reinterpreted through Bitossi’s signature craftsmanship. Featuring the iconic sgraffito hand decor, inspired by Etruscan ceramics, this piece is part of the Sahara line, distinguished by its earthy, textured aesthetic. Unlike the standard Bitossi Sahara...
Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Ceramic, Clay, Earthenware, Majolica, Stoneware
$809 Sale Price
45% Off
French Majolica Rooster Tureen Caugant
Located in Austin, TX
French country majolica rooster tureen, circa 1950 signed Caugant.
Category
1950s French Country Vintage Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Ceramic, Faience, Majolica
French Art Nouveau Majolica Planter Jardiniere by Hector Guimard Barbotine
Located in Bad Säckingen, DE
Hector Guimard was a renowned French architect and designer who is best known for his Art Nouveau style. He was born in Lyon in 1867 and later moved to Paris, where he became a promi...
Category
Early 1900s French Art Nouveau Antique Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Ceramic, Majolica
$1,707 Sale Price
20% Off
A Stunning French Art Nouveau Majolica Floral Centerpiece by Fives-Lille
By Fives-Lille
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A Stunning French Art Nouveau Majolica Floral Centerpiece by Fives-Lille
France, circa 1900s, Gustave de Bruyn & Fils, Fives-Lille
A stu...
Category
Early 20th Century French Art Nouveau Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Majolica
$792 Sale Price
20% Off
French Country Majolica Pheasant Tureen, circa 1950
Located in Austin, TX
French Majolica pheasant tureen from Caugant, circa 1950.
Category
1950s French Country Vintage Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Ceramic, Faience, Majolica
Mid Century Vase by Deruta Italy
By Deruta
Located in Albano Laziale, Rome/Lazio
A unique piece by the renowned producer Deruta of Umbria, Italy. This piece is produced in the 1950's and has a greek motif in vibrant pink, white, black and gold. The condition is p...
Category
1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Majolica
Fratelli Fanciullacci Majolica Vase with Floral Decor, Italy Mid Century
Located in Clifton Springs, NY
Unusual vase with complex, slightly textured glaze features applied relief in shape of abstract flowers and leaves. Top and bottom parts of the vase are decorated with delicate gree...
Category
20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Ceramic, Majolica, Pottery
Majolica Stork Vase Delphin Massier, circa 1890
Located in Austin, TX
Elegant and rare Majolica stork with a bamboo vase signed Delphin Massier, circa 1890.
The Massier are known for the quality of their unique enamels an...
Category
1890s French Art Nouveau Antique Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Majolica
Majolica Glazed Ceramic Oranges Pitcher / Jug, Spain, 1960s
Located in Barcelona, ES
Eye-catching realistic Majolica oranges jug / pitcher in orange and green glazed ceramic, Spain, 1950s-1960s.
Hand-painted Manises ceramic decorative jug in the shape of a bunch of ...
Category
Mid-20th Century Spanish Mid-Century Modern Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Ceramic, Majolica
Art Nouveau Handmade and Hand Glazed Planter Jardinière, 1930 Belgium
Located in Verviers, BE
Brilliant Handmade Majolica Hand-glazed
Art Nouveau planter jardinière, 1920.
Imperiale Royale, NIMY
Handmade and hand-glazed in brilliant deta...
Category
1920s Belgian Art Nouveau Vintage Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Majolica
Large Majolica Wild Rose Vase Jerome Massier, circa 1900
Located in Austin, TX
Large Majolica Wild Rose Vase Jerome Massier, circa 1900.
H / 10.5 inches , L / 11.3 inches , D / 6 inches.
The Massier family are known for the quality of their unique enamels and p...
Category
Early 1900s French Art Nouveau Antique Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Ceramic, Faience, Majolica
French Majolica White Rose Vase Circa 1900
Located in Austin, TX
French Majolica White Rose Vase Circa 1900.
H / 6.5 inches.
Category
Early 1900s French Art Nouveau Antique Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Ceramic, Faience, Majolica
Rare Minton Majolica Posy Vase, circa 1875
By Minton
Located in Austin, TX
Rare Minton Majolica Posy small vase modelled as three upright yellow bamboo canes all supported on an earthy ground.
Category
1870s English Victorian Antique Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Ceramic, Faience, Majolica
A rare early 20th-century French majolica "barbotine" crab trinket box
Located in SOTTEVILLE-LÈS-ROUEN, FR
A French majolica "barbotine" trinket box or catchall from the early 20th century, crafted in the shape of a crab. The lid, representing the crab’s shell, opens to reveal a storage c...
Category
Early 20th Century French Rococo Revival Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Ceramic, Majolica
Art Deco Italian Ceramic Animal Figurine Macaw Parrot Porcelain Bird Figure
Located in Wommelgem, VAN
Art Deco tall Italian animal Figurine Ceramic Parrot Macaw on a tree trunk
Material: porcelain, ceramic, tin glazed
Design: Cacciapuoti style...
Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Baroque Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Ceramic, Majolica, Porcelain
Rare Majolica Box with Oysters and Snail Choisy Le Roi, circa 1880
Located in Austin, TX
Rare Majolica box with oysters and snail signed Hippolyte Boulenger Choisy Le Roi, circa 1880.
Measures: Height / 8", length / 15" on 6.5".
Category
1880s French Aesthetic Movement Antique Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Ceramic, Faience, Majolica
Majolica Palissy Fish Jardiniere School of Paris, circa 1880
Located in Austin, TX
19th century Palissy footed wood box jardiniere School of Paris.
A large spotted fish on the front of the jardiniere surrounded by leaves and white dai...
Category
1880s French Country Antique Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Majolica, Ceramic, Faience
Jasba Fat Lava Op Art Vase Earthy Colors Western Germany Ceramic
By Jasba
Located in Clifton Springs, NY
Jasba N3221120 vase is a part of N series of objects; this series covers a large segment of Jasba’s production. Items within the series come in a wide variety of forms and decors, a...
Category
20th Century German Mid-Century Modern Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Ceramic, Majolica, Pottery
Italian Whippet Greyhound Terracotta Dog Statue Figurine Vintage, 1960s
Located in Nuernberg, DE
An outstanding Italian Greyhound statue in glazed and hand painted terracotta. Perfectly placed on a pedestal stylized as a cushion, lifelike ...
Category
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Majolica, Terracotta
Pair of White Majolica Ceramic Doves, Italy 1960s
Located in Clifton Springs, NY
The vintage porcelain or ceramic dove figurines feature finely detailed bodies, artfully hand painted with light green accents on bright white majolica glaze, creating a reserved, natural color palette of white and tone-on-tone green.
The birds are realistically sculpted with wide, flowing tails, standing calmly with their heads slightly turned. They are not mirror images of each other; each presents subtle differences in posture, adding visual interest and another layer of complexity to the set. Highly detailed figurines convey a touch of historical elegance and whimsical charm of traditional Italian country style. Each sculpture is marked with ITALY and model numbers on the inner surfaces. While many Italian artists and studios created their version of dove figurine, most of them are stylistically different from this pair; Bitossi and Zaccagnini birds have more streamlined, Modernist silhouettes, and the doves created for Raymor were less detailed and intentionally less realistic, as well as most often marked with distributor name in writing. We're attributing the pair to Mottahedeh, who sourced Italian majolica in similar style; the pieces will be simply marked ITALY and Mottahedeh will add their paper stickers. As the sculptures are quite old, the stickers often get lost or destroyed.
The convenient size and small footprint allows the set to be used in a multiple ways, such as dining room centerpiece, console table accent, shelf or fireplace mantel decoration...
Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Neoclassical Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Ceramic, Majolica, Pottery
Majolica Renaissance Vase Serpentine Handles Bacchus Italy 19th Century Revival
By Cantagalli, Deruta
Located in Wommelgem, VAN
Tall Italian majolica serpentine handles vase with a mythological scene
Depicting The Triumph of Bacchus and Ariadne - Annibale Carracci - 1597...
Category
19th Century Italian Renaissance Revival Antique Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Majolica
$6,916 Sale Price
20% Off
Karlsruhe Majolika Manufactory Sculpture, Dogs, Dachshund, Germany, 20th Century
Located in Greven, DE
Beautiful figure of two dachshund puppies from the well-known Karlsruhe Majolika Manufactory.
Marked on the bottom '5338', the production number.
On the bottom we see the coat of arm...
Category
Early 20th Century German Art Deco Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Ceramic, Majolica
Majolica Oxen Cart Clement Massier, circa 1900
Located in Austin, TX
Antique Majolica oxen cart jardiniere circa 1900, signed Clement Massier Golfe-Juan.
Reference: Page 111 "Barbotines de la cote d'Azur" of Bottero.
Category
Early 1900s French Country Antique Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Majolica, Ceramic
Large Italian Albisola Blue and White Tin-glazed Majolica Urn/Vase
Located in San Francisco, CA
the impressive vessel with everted lip above an ovoid body flanked by double mask handles all over a splayed foot; painted overall with a female figure and putti in a landscape setti...
Category
Early 1900s Italian Baroque Antique Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Majolica
Majolica Urn Vase Flower Decor, Italy 1950s-1960s
Located in Clifton Springs, NY
Vintage pottery vase features urn shaped body with twin handles framing the wide rim, decorated with majolica glaze in organic, earthy brown palette. The abstract floral decor is ver...
Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Ceramic, Majolica, Pottery
Pair Neoclassical French Sarreguemines Majolica Cobalt Blue
Gilt Vases c. 1900
Located in Pearland, TX
A gorgeous pair of antique Neoclassical style French Sarreguemines cobalt blue majolica vases, circa 1900. Maker's mark on reverse. These stylish chic vases are decorated with gold g...
Category
Early 1900s French Antique Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Majolica
Life-Size Italian Boxer Dog Terracotta Ceramic Statue Figurine Vintage, 1960s
Located in Nuernberg, DE
Classic early 1960s Italian Boxer Majolica dog statue figurine. Nice addition to your room or entry hall. It is approx. 32 inches high, 20 inches wide and 13 inches deep. Made of Ma...
Category
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Majolica, Terracotta
Majolica White Swan Jardinière Jerome Massier, circa 1890
Located in Austin, TX
Small Majolica white swan jardinière signed Jerome Massier Vallauris, circa 1890.
Category
1890s French Art Nouveau Antique Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Majolica, Ceramic
Royal Worcester Majolica Floral Basket
Located in Chelmsford, Essex
Royal Worcester Majolica basket which features pink flowers and green leaves, which are hand painted and overglazed. Green branch molded handl...
Category
1880s British Victorian Antique Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Majolica
Pair of Blue Art Nouveau Vases Flemish Pottery Antiques
Located in Poperinge, BE
A pair of antique Art Nouveau vases made of blue and green glazed majolica earthenware, better known as Flemish earthenware, marked "Made in Belgiu...
Category
Early 1900s Belgian Art Nouveau Antique Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Earthenware, Majolica
Art Nouveau Majolica Barbotine Box Jar Pheasant on Basket by Sarreguemines
Located in Bad Säckingen, DE
A hand-painted majolica lidded jar / box or tureen in the shape of a pheasant hen sitting on a basket, made by Sarreguemines around 1900. This beau...
Category
Early 1900s French Art Nouveau Antique Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Ceramic, Majolica
$620 Sale Price
20% Off
Vase Painted Two-handled Amphora Majolica Renaissance Vessel Italian Ceramic
By deBlona
Located in Recanati, IT
This large luxurious amphora, in majolica handmade in Italy and hand-painted in polychrome, is characterized by a dense presence of naturalistic ornamental motifs that decorate the v...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Ceramic, Majolica
Fratelli Fanciullacci Majolica Vase with Sgraffito Decor, Italy Mid Century
Located in Clifton Springs, NY
Unusual vintage vase with complex textured glaze features a streamlined elongated form, decorated with delineated areas of textured elements in sgraffito technique. The polychrome fr...
Category
20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Ceramic, Majolica, Pottery
19th Century French Majolica Purple Flower Delphin Massier
Located in Austin, TX
19th Century French Majolica Purple Flower Delphin Massier.
The Massier family are known for the quality of their unique enamels and paintings. They produced an incredible whole rang...
Category
1890s French Art Nouveau Antique Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Ceramic, Faience, Majolica
Green
Blue Byzantium Ceramic Vase Hand Painted Majolica Italy Contemporary
Located in London, GB
Bottega Vignoli, Byzantium vase, 2022, hand-painted maiolica fired in full-fire reduction firing 17cm x 37cm height. Unique piece.
Bottega Vignoli, based in Faenza—the historic ...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Classical Roman Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Ceramic, Majolica
Style of Delphin Massier Majolica Jardinière
Planter and Stand Number. 7825
Located in Verviers, BE
Art Nouveau Majolica jardinière, planter with stand
This stylish piece is an early example by a renowned maker, showing the main inspirations of Art Nouveau, applying curved, design...
Category
1910s French Art Nouveau Vintage Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Majolica
Antique Wilhelm Schiller Majolica Planter, 19th Century
Located in Bishop
s Stortford, Hertfordshire
An antique ormolu-mounted Majolica twin handled planter or centre piece attributed to Wilhelm Schiller. The Majolica planter is of wide rounded form with a raised ornate rim and with...
Category
1880s Austrian Antique Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Ormolu
Cheetah Cub Figurine in Majolica Pottery by Ronzan Italy, 1950
s
Located in Oud Beijerland, NL
Very nice expressive Ronzan Italian majolica cheetah cub figurine.
Signed to the base in black script: RONZAN MADE IN ITALY 1571/A.
Dating from arou...
Category
1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Majolica, Pottery
Small Lonitz Majolica Snipe Wall Plaque
Located in Chelmsford, Essex
Lonitz Majolica wall plaque which features a snipe. Coloration: Cream, grey, brown, are predominant.
Category
1880s German Victorian Antique Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Majolica
Large French Majolica Bird and Snake Jardinière, circa 1890
Located in Austin, TX
Large French 19th century Majolica jardinière in a shape of wood box decorated with leaves, on the front a bird with his nest, a snake looking on the nest with eggs...
Category
1890s French French Provincial Antique Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Majolica, Ceramic, Faience, Pottery
19th Century Majolica Wheat Jardiniere With Birds Delphin Massier
Located in Austin, TX
Large 19th Century Majolica wheat vase jardiniere with birds signed Delphin Massier.
The Massier are known for the quality of their unique enamels and paintings. The Massier family p...
Category
1890s French Country Antique Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Majolica
Minton Majolica Mushroom Tazza with Three-Frog Base, English, Dated 1868
By Minton
Located in Banner Elk, NC
Minton Majolica Taza, molded as an inverted mushroom, the bowl interior glazed in orange, with three naturalistically modeled and glazed frogs around the stem,...
Category
19th Century English Victorian Antique Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Majolica
Large Pair of Majolica Tulip Vases Jerome Massier, circa 1900
Located in Austin, TX
Pair of Majolica tulips vases Jerome Massier, circa 1900.
The Massier family are known for the quality of their unique enamels and paintings. They produced an incredible whole range ...
Category
Early 1900s French Art Nouveau Antique Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Ceramic, Faience, Majolica
Vintage Italian Midcentury Black
White Terracotta Spaniel Dog Sculpture
Located in Nuernberg, DE
This exceptional life-size Italian Spaniel sculpture is a striking example of traditional Florentine craftsmanship. Created in glazed and hand-painted terracotta by the renowned Bagn...
Category
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Majolica, Terracotta
Life-Size Italian Galgo Greyhound Terracotta Dog Statue Figurine Vintage, 1960s
Located in Nuernberg, DE
An outstanding Italian Greyhound statue in glazed and hand painted terracotta. Perfectly placed on a pedestal stylized as a cushion, lifelike ...
Category
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Majolica, Terracotta
Large English Victorian Hunt Scene Jardiniere Circa 1890
Located in Austin, TX
Large English Victorian Hunt Scene Jardiniere Circa 1890.
Decorated with hound dogs with a deer.
Dogs heads handles.
19.5 by 8.5 inches.
Category
1890s English Victorian Antique Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Ceramic, Faience, Majolica
Antique Ginori Istoriato Style Italian Maiolica Pottery Pilgrim Flask
Stopper
Located in Philadelphia, PA
A very fine antique Maiolica pilgrim flask & stopper by Ginori.
Decorated in the Urbino istoriato style with polychrome cherubs to the front and a lan...
Category
Late 19th Century Italian Renaissance Revival Antique Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Faience, Majolica
18th Century Italian Blue
White Faience Albarelli Apothecary Jar Pair
Located in Forney, TX
A remarkable pair of two antique European tin-glazed earthenware apothecary jars. circa 1770
Originally used as medicinal pottery jars that held ointments and dry drugs at apothecar...
Category
18th Century Italian Baroque Antique Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Earthenware, Faience, Majolica, Pottery
Antique and Vintage Majolica Vases, Bowls, Candleholders and Other Decorative Objects
The popularity of Victorian majolica, the gaily colored, metallic-oxide-glazed earthenware, has ebbed and flowed for more than a century. Right now, antique and vintage vases, bowls and other decorative objects appear to be having a moment — again.
Starting in the 1850s, people in the U.S. and the U.K. embraced these affordable housewares with unusual polychrome palettes (turquoise and pink) and whimsical forms (candlesticks shaped like dolphins). By the 1870s, majolica was being mass-produced for an ever-expanding middle class in countries like England, France, Sweden, Hungary and Portugal. Majolica was Art for Everyman. Its popularity coincided with interest in exotic Japonisme and scientific studies by the likes of Carl Linnaeus, Charles Darwin and John James Audobon.
Despite a similarity in name, Victorian majolica is significantly different in subject matter and form from its Italian forebear, Renaissance maiolica. That earlier earthenware bore gaily painted religious and mythological scenes, and unlike majolica, with its lively contours, was not molded or three dimensional.
What was the attraction of majolica for the 19th-century collector? “Imagine what it looked like in a Victorian interior, with dark woods, heavy drapes and upholstered chairs and sofas,” says Susan Weber, founder of the Bard Graduate Center in New York. “Majolica is robust and extremely tactile. With its naturalistic shapes, colorful glazes and often humorous themes, it appealed to the growing consumer society.”
In England, manufacturers like Minton began to produce decorative, relief-molded majolica tiles for the interiors of taverns, train stations, even the famous Queen’s Dairy at Frogmore, on the grounds of Windsor Castle. In 19th-century France, Sèvres and smaller ceramics firms began to reinterpret the snake-decorated platters made by Bernard Palissy, a 16th-century self-taught French potter. The result was a type of majolica called Palissy ware, which, like the originals, was festooned with odd creatures (lobsters, lizards and snakes) modeled by hand.
The late Moroccan-born, Paris-based decorator Alberto Pinto often placed Palissy ware in his clients’ living rooms, posing individual pieces on brackets against a background of stamped, gilded leather. Pinto, in turn, influenced such contemporary decorators as Harry Heissmann of New York. After 1900, people got swept up in the romanticism of Art Nouveau and ceased buying majolica. The 1970s saw a revival of interest, and in 1982, the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum, in New York, organized “English Majolica,” an exhibition featuring 75 examples from Minton, Wedgwood and George Jones, among other makers.
On 1stDibs, find antique and vintage majolica tea sets, vases, candlesticks, tureens and other furniture and decorative objects.
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Zoë Powell’s Magnolia 05 Vessel Is Handmade from Clay She Unearthed Herself
The free-form stoneware piece is inspired by the magnolia tree and its associations with home.
8 Ways to Breathe New Life into a Space with Plants
The pair behind the Instagram account @houseplantclub share their tips for making any room of the house gloriously green.
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French Ceramic Frog
Frieze Roman
Gilt Bronze Elephant
Ginger Jars With 2 Lids
Glazed Terracotta Dog
Gold Chicken
Hollow Log
Horse Head Marble Sculpture
Horse Sculpture Spain
Horsehair Brush
Ironwood Sculpture
Italian Canister
Italian Whippets
Japanese Imari Jars
Jere Owl
Large Bronze Elephant
Large Bronze Horse Sculpture
Large Wood Elephant