Majolica Furniture
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Material: Majolica
19th Century German Majolica Swan Plate circa 1900
Located in Austin, TX
19th Century German Majolica Swan and cygnets Plate Circa 1900.
Category
Early 1900s German Country Antique Majolica Furniture
Materials
Ceramic, Majolica
French Majolica Oyster Plate Bavent, circa 1920
By Bavent
Located in Austin, TX
Large French Majolica oyster plate signed TN Bavent, circa 1920.
Diameter / 10.5 inches.
Rustic style.
Category
1920s French Art Deco Vintage Majolica Furniture
Materials
Ceramic, Faience, Majolica
Pair Polychrome Glazed Majolica Camels / Plant Stands
Located in New York, NY
Pair of vintage polychrome glazed camels, each 22 by 16 by 12 inches, seated in ceremonial processional attire including large saddles with flat tops to be enjoyed as sculptures or a...
Category
1960s Unknown Vintage Majolica Furniture
Materials
Majolica
French Majolica Corn Tureen Sarreguemines, circa 1940
Located in Austin, TX
French Majolica corn tureen signed Sarreguemines, circa 1940.
Category
1940s French Country Vintage Majolica Furniture
Materials
Ceramic, Faience, Majolica
19th Century Majolica Oyster Flowers Plate Longchamp
By Longchamp
Located in Austin, TX
French Majolica oyster plate with flowers circa 1890 signed Longchamp.
Category
1890s French French Provincial Antique Majolica Furniture
Materials
Ceramic, Majolica
Mid-Century Majolica Palissy Lobster Platter Vallauris
By Vallauris
Located in Austin, TX
Mid-Century Majolica Palissy Lobster Platter Vallauris.
Mussels.shells,seaweeds.
Diameter / 9.8 nches.
Category
1950s French Mid-Century Modern Vintage Majolica Furniture
Materials
Ceramic, Faience, Majolica
19th Century Majolica Bamboo Umbrella Stand Onnaing
By Onnaing
Located in Austin, TX
French Majolica Bamboo umbrella stand signed Onnaing with a banana tree, circa 1890.
Reference / Page 21"Faience d'Onnaing" of C. Campion.
From the collection...
Category
1890s French Victorian Antique Majolica Furniture
Materials
Majolica, Ceramic, Faience
Large Antique French Gien White Pale Blue Majolica Oyster Platter, Circa 1890
By Gien
Located in Pearland, TX
A rare large antique 19th-Century French Gien porcelain oyster platter, fluted and gilt at the edges, circa 1890. It's a lovely glazed white color with pale blue undertones. Maker's ...
Category
Late 19th Century French Antique Majolica Furniture
Materials
Majolica, Porcelain
French Saint Clément Majolica Green
Yellow Lemon Wedge Oyster Plate, c. 1920
Located in Pearland, TX
A lovely antique French majolica oyster plate made at the St. Clement faience factory in France, circa 1920-1930. Maker's mark on reverse. This gorgeous oyster plate has six wells wi...
Category
1920s French Vintage Majolica Furniture
Materials
Ceramic, Majolica
19th Century English Majolica Fans Dish
Located in Austin, TX
19th Century English Majolica Fan Shape Dish.
Category
1880s British Aesthetic Movement Antique Majolica Furniture
Materials
Ceramic, Faience, Majolica
$180 / item
19th Century Majolica Chesnut Jardinière Onnaing
By Onnaing
Located in Austin, TX
19th century Majolica chesnut handled jardinière signed Onnaing.
This jardinière is inspired by the Art Nouveau and the Naturalism movement of the end of 19th century.
Category
1880s French Art Nouveau Antique Majolica Furniture
Materials
Majolica, Ceramic, Faience
SAINT-CLEMENT French Art Deco Ceramic Parrot Pitcher, 1920
Located in Saint-Amans-des-Cots, FR
French Mid-century ceramic parrot pitcher by SAINT-CLEMENT, France, 1920s. It was around 1920 that the Faïencerie Saint-Clément began producing pitchers in the shape of animal. It w...
Category
1920s French Art Deco Vintage Majolica Furniture
Materials
Ceramic, Earthenware, Majolica
Alzata in Maiolica Italiana dipinta con Madonna con Bambino Ocra e Celeste 1700
Located in Milano, MI
Alzata in Maiolica italiana dipinta in policromia agli inizi 1700 con piano perfettamente piatto con bordo rialzato decorato con l’assunzione della Madonna Incoronata raffigurata co...
Category
Early 18th Century Italian Folk Art Antique Majolica Furniture
Materials
Majolica
Majolica Cauliflower Tureen Centerpiece in Glazed Ceramic, 1960s
Located in Barcelona, ES
Cauliflower Tureen Centerpice with Ladle, Majolica, Glazed Ceramic. Spain, 1960s
Eye-catching hand painted Manises ceramic cauliflower with leaves ...
Category
20th Century Spanish Mid-Century Modern Majolica Furniture
Materials
Majolica, Pottery, Ceramic
$1,306 Sale Price
20% Off
Large French Pottery Majolica Pheasant Tureen circa 1930
Located in Austin, TX
Large French Pottery Majolica Pheasant Tureen circa 1930.
Category
1930s French Rustic Vintage Majolica Furniture
Materials
Ceramic, Faience, Majolica, Pottery
Early Italian Polychrome Majolica Albarello, Late 17th Century
Located in Haddonfield, NJ
Italian Polychrome Majolica Albarello, Late 17th Century.
Category
1690s Italian Baroque Antique Majolica Furniture
Materials
Majolica
$2,320 Sale Price
51% Off
19th Century Majolica Chocolate Oyster Plate Luneville
By Luneville
Located in Austin, TX
19th Century Majolica chocolate oyster plate with green seaweeds Luneville.
Reference: Page 43 "Oyster plates" of J. Karsnitz.
Category
1880s French Country Antique Majolica Furniture
Materials
Ceramic, Majolica
Sculpture Giant Amphora Vase Majolica Hand Painted Four Seasons Art Nouveau
Located in Recanati, IT
Majestic amphora in glazed majolica, handmade and hand painted in central Italy. On the amphora are represented, in great detail, the four seasons personified by graceful women surro...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Art Nouveau Majolica Furniture
Materials
Ceramic, Majolica
19th Century Large Majolica Rooster with Bamboo Vase Delphin Massier
Located in Austin, TX
Large Majolica colorful rooster signed Delphin Massier circa 1890.
On the back of the rooster, a rare brown bamboo vase, usually the vase is a trunk.
Category
1890s French Victorian Antique Majolica Furniture
Materials
Majolica
Minton Majolica Centerpiece Tray 15-in, Lotus Flower on Green Ground, Dated 1863
By Minton
Located in Banner Elk, NC
Minton Majolica centerpiece, naturalistically modeled as a pond bed with simulated water glazed in cyan blue, with green glazed lily pads and flowering pond lilies (lotus), and reeds glazed in various shades of green, with brown and ochre-glazed cattails molded in high relief to form the border, with a central lotus flower glazed in white and blue, concealing a solid brass original fitting for a candle, doubling as a receptacle for an (optional) additional tier which would have screwed into the fitting; the fitting is removable. Impressed marks to reverse: 'MINTON' and Minton date cypher for 1863; an impressed 'A' possibly for the designer, Thomas Allen...
Category
Mid-19th Century English Victorian Antique Majolica Furniture
Materials
Majolica
18th-19th Century Spanish Colonial Majolica Pottery Angel Vase
Located in New York, NY
Antique Guatemalan majolica pottery vase, with hand painted floral design on front. Two angels adorn the upper rim, appearing at the top of each side peering out over their angel win...
Category
19th Century Guatemalan Spanish Colonial Antique Majolica Furniture
Materials
Majolica, Pottery
$2,800 Sale Price
20% Off
19th Century Majolica Palissy Fish Wall Platter Thomas Sergent
Located in Austin, TX
19th Century small oval Palissy Thomas Sergent.
7.5 inches W. by 4.5 inches H.
Fish on the center , shells , ivy , oak leaves , bugs , snail.
Thomas Victor Sergent was an active memb...
Category
1880s French Victorian Antique Majolica Furniture
Materials
Majolica, Ceramic
19th Century Majolica Chocolate Oyster Plate Luneville
By Luneville
Located in Austin, TX
19th-century Majolica chocolate oyster plate with green seaweeds Luneville.
Reference: Page 43 "Oyster plates" of J. Karsnitz.
Category
1880s French Country Antique Majolica Furniture
Materials
Majolica, Ceramic
I.C.S. Art Deco Majolica Vase, Italy 1927-1940
Located in Clifton Springs, NY
Rare vintage ceramic vase features streamlined cylinder form with slightly flared out rim and graphic decor in off white, teal, black, and yellow palette. The main motif of abstract flowers on a branch, descending from a triangular structure, hand painted in monochromatic black glaze, is juxtaposed with the ombre off white and teal background and an abstracted flock of birds in shades of yellow. The sophisticated Art Deco style flowering branch, with contrasting, clearly defined, angular outline, is softened with rounded, Folk Art or Naive Art style, almost cloud-like bird motifs, asymmetrically placed on one side of the branch. The decor repeats on front and back sides of the vase with slight variations in colors and placements that are consistent with hand-painted nature of the piece. The vase retains obvious hand-formed concentric ridges throughout the whole body that add textural element to the piece and allow for slight pooling of the glazes. The bottom is concave and glazed in off-white, with the unglazed foot, showing pinkish beige clay; it is not a glaze defect, as it was left unglazed intentionally when the vase was placed in the kiln for firing.
The vase is signed on the bottom with "Italy I.C.S" and Industria Ceramica Salernitana company's fish mark. It is in good vintage condition with age-appropriate small losses on glaze of the rim and bottom that do not detract from the quality and artistic expression of the vase and can be repaired professionally; please see pictures.
I.C.S. was founded in 1927 by Berlin-born Moses Malamerson in Vietri Sul Mar on Amalfi coast in Italy. I.C.S quickly gained recognition by participating in multiple major European and American expositions and art competitions available, attracting many artists that were looking to escape the economic depression and political upheaval of 1930s. I.C.S. can claim the honor of having employed all the famous artists of the German (Tedesco) Period, including Studemann, Irene Kowalski, Hannasch, Richard Dolker...
Category
Early 20th Century Italian Art Deco Majolica Furniture
Materials
Ceramic, Majolica, Pottery
French Majolica Ducklings with Frog Plate Sarreguemines, circa 1890
Located in Austin, TX
French Majolica ducklings with frog plate Sarreguemines, circa 1890.
Category
1890s French Rustic Antique Majolica Furniture
Materials
Ceramic, Faience, Majolica
Pair of 19th Century English Majolica Bamboo Vase
By Minton
Located in Austin, TX
19th Century Pair of English Majolica vases bamboo with a pink bow.
Category
1890s English Victorian Antique Majolica Furniture
Materials
Ceramic, Faience, Majolica
19th Century French Majolica Pigeon Wall Pocket
Located in Austin, TX
Large 19th century French Majolica Pigeon wall pocket.
The pigeon have a pink ribbon and carry a white card.
Category
1890s French Rustic Antique Majolica Furniture
Materials
Ceramic, Majolica
George Jones Majolica Deer Game Pie Dish and Liner
By George Jones
Located in Chelmsford, Essex
George Jones Majolica game pie dish with liner which features a recumbent deer (doe) forming the handle, on a leafy ground. The dish has a repeating pattern of swirling leaves surrou...
Category
1870s Antique Majolica Furniture
Materials
Majolica
Rubboli Lustre Majolica Vase with Mythical Beasts Decor
By Rubboli
Located in Clifton Springs, NY
Sculptural, large ceramic Neo-Renaissance Rubboli vase is finished in cobalt, red and gold lustre. Hand-painted decor follows the classical shape of the piece, with abstract pattern accentuated the base and the top of the vase, and traditional designs of mythical beasts surrounding central medallion motifs.
The vase is a stunning, museum quality example of the revival of the magnificent Italian Renaissance decoration of the 16th century. Late 19th century collecting craze for Renaissance majolica, especially lusterware, prompted the Italian potters to hunt for the secret formulas that were lost four hundred years earlier. Studios owned by such ceramicists as Cantagalli, Molaroni, Rubboli, Santarella, and others attempted to duplicate antique lusterware pieces for the general public. Each studio developed their own closely guarded formulation.
In 1870s Paolo Rubboli...
Category
20th Century Italian Renaissance Revival Majolica Furniture
Materials
Ceramic, Majolica, Pottery
Art Deco French Longwy Majolica Fish Plate, Circa 1930
Located in Pearland, TX
A stylish Art Deco French Longwy majolica fish plate, circa 1930. Maker's mark on reverse. It's a rare color, white with lovely soft purple lilac accents, and it displays beautifully...
Category
1930s French Vintage Majolica Furniture
Materials
Majolica
Cantagalli Lusture Majolica Centerpiece
By Cantagalli
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Cantagalli Lusture Majolica centerpiece, Of tripartite form with center pierced urn, with mask medallions, raised on a confirming ovoid base. Decorated in all over foliate and scroll...
Category
Early 20th Century Italian Baroque Majolica Furniture
Materials
Majolica
$556 Sale Price
20% Off
French Sarreguemines Majolica Cobalt Blue
Gilt Oval Centerpiece Bowl, c. 1900
Located in Pearland, TX
A gorgeous antique Neoclassical style French Sarreguemines cobalt blue majolica oval centerpiece bowl, circa 1900. Maker's mark on reverse. This stylish chic bowl is decorated with g...
Category
Early 1900s French Antique Majolica Furniture
Materials
Majolica
A Victoria Pottery Majolica Cobalt Basketweave Sardine Box, English, ca. 1883
Located in Banner Elk, NC
A Rare Victoria Pottery Company Majolica Sardine Box with five sardines on green glazed lotus pads and other foliage, trimmed in yellow bamboo with green shoots, the body and integra...
Category
1880s English Victorian Antique Majolica Furniture
Materials
Majolica
Vietnamese Bowl with Dragon and Clouds Pattern Decor 1900 Vietnam
Located in Auribeau sur Siagne, FR
Decorative Bowl. withblue Dragon and Clouds, circa 1900.
it has been made in vietnam.
Category
Early 1900s Vietnamese Chinese Export Antique Majolica Furniture
Materials
Majolica
Antique French Art Nouveau Majolica Poppies Pitcher
Located in New Orleans, LA
A fine antique French Art Nouveau majolica pitcher, “poppies” pattern, a very desirable color palette of poppy red, lime green and pale tan.
A c...
Category
1870s French Art Nouveau Antique Majolica Furniture
Materials
Majolica
$312 Sale Price
62% Off
Large Vallauris Blue White Ceramic Fat Lava Round Bowl / Ashtray, 1950s
By Vallauris
Located in Barcelona, ES
French mid-century Vallauris ashtray / bowl, Glazed Ceramic
Beautiful fat lava glazed ceramic ashtray in dark blue and soft blue hues and white accents. Manufactured by Vallauris. France, 1950s.
This cool ashtray was handcrafted in France at the Mid-20th century period. Its design in shades of blue and white fat lava ceramic on a cobalt blue background . It has four cigarrette or cigars holders.
Highly decorative piece!
This colorful piece will be the perfect gift for smokers. Also useful as jewelry bowl , decorative bowl or vide-poche.
Overall Measures: 19 cm diameter x 9 cm height (7,48 in diameter x 3,54 in height).
Vallauris Ceramic Round Bowl // Glazed Ceramic Fat Lava Bowl...
Category
20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Majolica Furniture
Materials
Ceramic, Majolica
19th Century French Majolica Pumpkin Leaves Centerpiece Choisy-le-Roi
Located in Austin, TX
19th century large French Majolica pumpkin leaves and flowers handled centerpiece jardinière signed Choisy-le-Roi.
Category
1880s French Rustic Antique Majolica Furniture
Materials
Ceramic, Majolica, Pottery
19th Century Majolica Palissy Wall Fish Platter Choisy Le Roi
Located in Austin, TX
Colorful Palissy wall platter signed Hippolyte Boulenger Choisy le Roi, circa 1880.
Decorated with fishs,snake, snail,bugs,shells,mussel and lea...
Category
1880s French Victorian Antique Majolica Furniture
Materials
Ceramic, Faience, Majolica
French 1950s Bird Tiles Trinket Box in Ceramic and Wood
By Mithé Espelt
Located in Barcelona, ES
Mid-Century Modern hinged wooden box with colorful birds ceramic tiles top, France 1950s.
This exquisite vintage rectangular box is all constructed in wood. Beautiful hand-painted ti...
Category
20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Majolica Furniture
Materials
Wood, Majolica, Ceramic
Rare French Majolica Grape Pitcher Orchies, circa 1890
By Orchies
Located in Austin, TX
Rare French Majolica grape pitcher Orchies, circa 1890.
Category
1890s French Country Antique Majolica Furniture
Materials
Ceramic, Faience, Majolica
Large French Majolica Palissy Jardiniere Circa 1880
Located in Austin, TX
French Majolica Palissy jardinière with leaves and branches, circa 1880.
Category
1880s French Rustic Antique Majolica Furniture
Materials
Ceramic, Faience, Majolica
Pair of Mid-Century French Majolica Lidded Pastry or Cheese Domes with Trays
Located in Dallas, TX
This rare matching pair of two-piece Majolica-style pastry or cheese domes was crafted in France circa 1960. Each barbotine ceramic set includes a circular platter with a ribbed edge...
Category
Mid-20th Century French Majolica Furniture
Materials
Faience, Majolica
Italian Albarello Jar, hand painted Italian Jug, Majolica
Located in Bradenton, FL
An impressively formed antique hand painted Italian Faenza Majolica ceramic vessel. Made in the early 1900s. The jug is decorated with colorful floral ...
Category
Early 20th Century Italian Neoclassical Majolica Furniture
Materials
Majolica
Antique Rococo Style Italian Majolica Glazed Terra Cotta Stove
Located in Chicago, IL
Antique Rococo Style Italian Majolica Glazed Terra Cotta Stove
This 19th Century Italian Majolica glazed terra cotta stove exemplifies the artistry of handcrafted ceramics. Featurin...
Category
Late 19th Century Unknown Rococo Revival Antique Majolica Furniture
Materials
Majolica
19th Century French Majolica Log Tobacco Jar
Located in Austin, TX
19th Century French Majolica Log Tobacco Jar.
Category
1890s French Country Antique Majolica Furniture
Materials
Ceramic, Majolica
Majolica Parakeets Plate Salins, circa 1890
By Salins
Located in Austin, TX
Majolica plate two parakeets on a blue background with oranges Salins, circa 1890.
Category
1890s French Art Nouveau Antique Majolica Furniture
Materials
Ceramic, Majolica
19th Century Majolica Asparagus Platter Saint Amand
By Saint Amand
Located in Austin, TX
French Majolica Saint Amand platter with an handle circa 1880
At this period, almost all the French manufactures produced asparagus pieces plates and platters usually platters with c...
Category
1880s French Country Antique Majolica Furniture
Materials
Ceramic, Majolica
19th Century Majolica Pheasant Plate Choisy Le Roi
Located in Austin, TX
Majolica plate with a pheasant in the woods signed Hippolyte Boulenger Choisy le Roi, circa 1890.
The manufacture of Choisy le Roi was one of the most important manufacture at the en...
Category
1890s French Country Antique Majolica Furniture
Materials
Ceramic, Majolica
Vallauris Unglazed Fat Lava Ceramic Flower Shaped Bowl / Ashtray, 1950s
By Vallauris
Located in Barcelona, ES
French Mid-Century Vallauris ashtray / bowl in unglazed fat lava ceramic.
Beautiful fat lava ceramic flower shaped bowl in white and brown ceramic with turquoise green, orange and ye...
Category
20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Majolica Furniture
Materials
Ceramic, Majolica
French Majolica Oyster Plate Salins, circa 1890
By Salins
Located in Austin, TX
French Majolica oyster plate with seaweeds signed Salins (East of France) circa 1890.
Category
1890s French Victorian Antique Majolica Furniture
Materials
Ceramic, Faience, Majolica
Rare Art Nouveau AMC Wasmuel Set of Faience Pitcher and 6 Glasses, Belguim
Located in Clifton Springs, NY
Rare set of a pitcher and 6 glasses or cups was created in characteristic Belgian Art Nouveau style with the use of warm, earthy tones and varied glaze finish on lightly textured sh...
Category
Early 20th Century Belgian Art Nouveau Majolica Furniture
Materials
Ceramic, Faience, Majolica, Pottery
19th Century Large Majolica Asparagus Serving Platter
By Orchies
Located in LA CIOTAT, FR
A very unusual and beautiful French barbotine majolica asparagus serving platter, oval in shape and featuring a typical 'trompe l'oeil' textured decoration of globe artichokes and pu...
Category
19th Century French Art Nouveau Antique Majolica Furniture
Materials
Majolica, Ceramic
19th Century Majolica Elephant Tobacco Jar Onnaing
By Onnaing
Located in Austin, TX
Majolica tobacco jar Onnaing, circa 1890.
The two handles are elephants heads, decorated with corn, the handle of the jat is a corn.
Usually in ...
Category
1890s French Majolica Pottery Antique Majolica Furniture
Materials
Majolica
French Majolica Brown Hen Tureen Caugant
Located in Austin, TX
Rustic French Majolica Brown Hen Tureen circa 1950 signed Caugant.
Category
1950s French Country Vintage Majolica Furniture
Materials
Ceramic, Faience, Majolica
French Majolica Frog Wall Pocket Jerome Massier Fils Vallauris, circa 1900
Located in Austin, TX
French Majolica Frog Wall Pocket Jerome Massier Fils Vallauris, circa 1900.
The Massier are known for the quality of their unique enamels and paintings. The Massier family produced d...
Category
Early 1900s French Art Nouveau Antique Majolica Furniture
Materials
Ceramic, Faience, Majolica
Large Majolica Shell Vase Nautilus Choisy Le Roi, circa 1890
Located in Austin, TX
Large Majolica Shell Nautilus Vase Urn signed Choisy Le Roi, circa 1890.
The base is decorated with shells and coral.
H / 8 inches , W / 10 inches.
Category
1890s French Aesthetic Movement Antique Majolica Furniture
Materials
Majolica, Ceramic
Majolica Shell Dish Keller
Guerin Saint Clement Circa 1900
Located in Austin, TX
Majolica Shell Dish Keller & Guerin Saint Clement Circa 1900.
Decorated with a flower.
Category
Early 1900s French Art Nouveau Antique Majolica Furniture
Materials
Ceramic, Majolica
Glazed Ceramic Melon Server Set, Italy 1960s
Located in Barcelona, ES
Desserts serving set melon design: 6 plates + 1 tureen, Italy, 1960s.
One of a kind set of 6 Majolica ceramic melon slice shaped dishes and a large melon tureen,
The melon shaped cer...
Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Majolica Furniture
Materials
Majolica, Pottery, Ceramic
$2,850 / set
Lladró Sauce Tureen in Glazed Ceramic, Fish and Lemon Design, 1960s
By Hispania CH
Located in Barcelona, ES
A beautiful hand-painted Majolica glazed ceramic fish shaped sauce boat with half lemon on the top. By Hispania CH Lladró.Spain, 1960-1970s
Manufactured by Hispania CH and marked on ...
Category
20th Century Spanish Mid-Century Modern Majolica Furniture
Materials
Majolica, Ceramic
George Jones Majolica Pond Lilies and Bullrushes 10-in Tray, English, c. 1875
By George Jones
Located in Banner Elk, NC
A George Jones Majolica 10-inch Oval Pen Tray, with green-glazed relief-molded lily pads with white blossoms and naturalistically glazed bullrushes on turquoise-glazed water forming the ground, with a yellow ocher rim, the reverse glazed in brown and green tortoiseshell...
Category
19th Century English Victorian Antique Majolica Furniture
Materials
Majolica
Antique and Vintage Majolica Platters, Pottery and Other Furniture and Decor
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 majolica plates, pitchers, decorative objects and other pieces 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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