Majolica Decorative Objects
to
58
572
69
3
21
271
280
72
95
136
14
45
6
15
11
2
37
17
1
5
2
98
74
64
28
22
11
8
6
5
4
2
1
1
1,735
53,363
42,952
25,488
20,404
372
264
599
265
197
60
53
Height
to
Width
to
644
623
636
30
30
26
23
21
Material: Majolica
Antique Lidded Italian Apothecary Jar with Rampant Lions Coat of Arms, 19th C.
Located in Dallas, TX
Hand-painted with a coat of arms supported by a pair of rampant lions, this lidded Italian apothecary jar dates to the 1800s. The ground of the jar is true white, which provides a st...
Category
19th Century Italian Antique Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Ceramic, Majolica, Paint
J. Holdcroft Majolica Japonisme Cobalt Box & Cover, Signed, English, ca. 1880
Located in Banner Elk, NC
Joseph Holdcroft Majolica Japonisme square shaped box and cover, glazed in cobalt blue, with relief molded flying cranes, flowering prunus branches, and squirrels, the cover bordered...
Category
19th Century English Victorian Antique Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Majolica
Boite en faïence barbotine Saint Clément décor Fraise et fleurs Francaise XIXe
Located in London, England
La bonbonnière ou boîte à bijoux de Saint Clément, réalisée en faïence barbotine à la fin du XIXe siècle dans le style Art Nouveau, est une véritable œuvre d'art. Son décor délicat d...
Category
Late 19th Century French Art Nouveau Antique Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Ceramic, Faience, Majolica
$221 Sale Price
20% Off
Centerpiece / Centrepiece, Bowl, Majolica, Eichwald, Art Deco, 1920, Bohemia
By Eichwald
Located in Wien, AT
Huge pure Art Deco Centerpiece from the famous manufacturer Eichwald.
This exceptional piece is an example of pure art deco art.
The structure consists of a square base with roun...
Category
1920s Czech Art Deco Vintage Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Ceramic, Majolica
$2,040 Sale Price
20% Off
Pair Thomas Sergent Palissy Majolica Mythological Vases
Located in Chelmsford, Essex
Pair of Thomas Sergent Majolica vases with a mythological theme which feature a river scene around the sides, with putti, dolphins, reeds and s...
Category
1870s Antique Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Majolica
Pair of Mid Century Chinese Glazed Terra Cotta Urns
Located in Palm Beach, FL
Large pair of vintage Chinese urns handcrafted in terra cotta in classic form and decorated in a chic multi color drippy glaze.
Category
20th Century Chinese Mid-Century Modern Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Majolica, Terracotta
Italian Maiolica Seated Cat Sculpture
Located in Astoria, NY
Italian Maiolica Polychrome Glazed Terracotta Seated Cat, with hand-painted floral design. 26.75" H x 9.5" W x 13.75" D. Provenance: From a 50 Central Park West Estate.
Category
20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Majolica
Mintons Majolica Putti Flower Holder Vase
By Minton
Located in Chelmsford, Essex
Minton Majolica flower holder which features a putti wearing drapes, carrying a cornucopia vase. Colouration: green, turquoise, white, are predo...
Category
1870s English Victorian Antique Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Majolica
Unique Ceramic Portret Buste, Girl with Blue Hair by Erwin Spuler 1930s, Germany
Located in Antwerp, BE
Beautiful sculpture in brown earthenware modeled in the expression of a woman in polychrome glaze with blue hair, made in Germany, 1930s.
Erwin Spuler (1906-1964), who initially studied at the School of Applied Arts in Stuttgart, studied with Georg Scholz...
Category
1930s German Art Deco Vintage Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Earthenware, Majolica
$2,883 Sale Price
20% Off
Mid-Century French Hand Painted Barbotine Ceramic Fruit Basket Centerpiece
Located in Dallas, TX
Decorate a tabletop with this colorful, majolica basket composition. Crafted in France circa 1960, the centerpiece features a realistic assortment of fruits and vegetables in high re...
Category
Mid-20th Century French Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Ceramic, Majolica
Blue Ceramic Vase Butterflies 24 Kt Gold Luster Hand Painted Decorative Vessel
By deBlona
Located in Recanati, IT
Of extraordinary beauty and unique charm, the blue butterfly has always been considered the bearer of wishes. According to ancient beliefs it has the power to make dreams come true. ...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Gold
English Majolica Dwarf on Barrel Jar And Cover
Located in Chelmsford, Essex
Unidentified English Majolica pot and cover which features a gnome (or dwarf) laying down next to an ale barrel, with a drinking jug in his right hand. Th...
Category
1870s English Victorian Antique Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Majolica
Pair of 18th Century Albarello Drug Jars in Maiolica
Located in NICE, FR
We are delighted to present you with this rare pair of ceramic albarello drug jars traditionally used for storing herbs, ointments, and medicines. They originate from the 18th centur...
Category
18th Century European Renaissance Antique Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Ceramic, Majolica
Royal Worcester Majolica Putti in Gondola Dish
Located in Chelmsford, Essex
Royal Worcester Majolica figural dish which features a putto seated on a gondola boat, with an eagle figurehead. Colouration: turquoise, white, brown, are...
Category
1880s English Antique Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Majolica
Minton Majolica Cherub Flower Holder
By Minton
Located in Chelmsford, Essex
Minton Majolica flower holder which features a cherub carrying wheatsheaf. Coloration: ochre, green, cream, are predominant. The piece bears mak...
Category
1870s English Victorian Antique Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Majolica
Rare Minton Majolica Chinese Drummers Vase
By Minton
Located in Chelmsford, Essex
Minton Majolica vase which features a large drum with Chinese drummers stood either side. The drum has dragons on both faces. Intricate cut-out rim and base. Colouration: light brown...
Category
Late 19th Century Antique Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Majolica
19th Century Majolica Figural Jardinière by Henri Giraud, Mark for Choisy-Le Roy
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A French late 19th century Majolica figural jardinière (planter) modeled as a young Neapolitan vintner boy balancing a weaved basket over h...
Category
Late 19th Century French Country Antique Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Ceramic, Majolica
$5,400 Sale Price
20% Off
Vase, Ceramic, Enamel Hand Painted, Attributable to Late Bauhaus, 1930, Germany
Located in Wien, AT
Very special vase, made of ceramic with extraordinarily decorative painting, made by hand in enamel.
This style in Art Deco, the workmanship and the objects of comparison, for exam...
Category
1920s German Bauhaus Vintage Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Ceramic, Majolica
$496 Sale Price
20% Off
Antique Hand Painted Majolica Vase from Umbria, circa 1870
Located in Dallas, TX
From Italy, this hand painted majolica vase has two scenes divided by scrolling snake handles. One side depicts a trophy of arms with black eagle supporters, a flag and a ribbon date...
Category
Late 19th Century Italian Antique Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Majolica
English Majolica Jardinière
Located in Winter Park, FL
A large English Majolica glazed ceramic jardinière, or planter, oblong shape depicting a sleeping maiden in a field of wheat. Vividly colored glaze in...
Category
19th Century French Antique Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Majolica
Minton Majolica Marine Vase with Merboys
By Minton
Located in Chelmsford, Essex
Minton Majolica vase which features three merboys supporting a vessel adorned with seaweeds. The rim of the vase is modelled to depict breaking waves. Dark maroon ground version. Col...
Category
1860s Antique Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Majolica
Matte White Ceramic Vase with Gold Spheres, Contemporary Design, Made in Italy
By deBlona
Located in Recanati, IT
Contemporary ceramic vase in white, adorned with 19 ceramic spheres plated in 24-karat gold. The body of the vase features a matte finish that enhances its unique shape, giving the i...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Gold Plate
Large Ewer Hand Painted Pearl White Decorative Vase Unique Piece Made in Italy
By deBlona
Located in Recanati, IT
Magnificent large decorative ewer, handmade and hand-painted in Italy by the artist G. Mengoni for deBlona. His creativity was inspired by Middle Eastern ceramic tradition, whose orn...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Other Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Ceramic, Clay, Luster, Majolica
English Majolica Basket Mottled Green Cobalt Handle Lavender Interior, ca. 1875
Located in Banner Elk, NC
English Majolica basket with mottled green basketweave, a cobalt blue handle, and lavender interior, ca. 1875,
Measures: W 6 x H 4 x D 1.5 inches
For 30 years we have been among th...
Category
19th Century English Victorian Antique Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Majolica
Brownfield Majolica Putti Figural Posy Vase
Located in Chelmsford, Essex
Brownfield Majolica posy holder which features a putti carrying a bunch of wheat. Stood beside a wicker basket. Colouration: green, cream, yellow, ...
Category
1870s Victorian Antique Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Majolica
Contemporary Italian Apple Jade Green Majolica Crown Bowl with Platinum Accents
Located in New York, NY
Contemporary handmade Italian post-modern Work of Art in the shape of a Fleur de Lys crown in majolica, exclusive design by Ceramica Gatti, a long tradition studio and famous designe...
Category
2010s Italian Art Deco Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Platinum, Enamel
Rare Dutch Majolica Plate with Tulip, Early 17th Century
Located in AMSTERDAM, NH
A rare Dutch Majolica plate with a decoration of a tulip.
Northern Netherlands, probably made in the city of Rotterdam.
Made 1620 - 1640
Dutch majo...
Category
Early 17th Century Dutch Renaissance Antique Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Ceramic, Majolica
Pair Jerome Massier Hen & Cockerel Figural Vases by P. Perret
By Pierre Perret et Jerome Massier Fils
Located in Chelmsford, Essex
Pair of Jerome Massier Fils Majolica figural vases which feature a hen and a rooster, stood in front of a vase. The vase has leaves and wheat around the sides. Colouration: brown, ye...
Category
1910s French Vintage Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Majolica
Pair of 19th Century French Painted Ceramic Vases with Dog Motifs Signed Petit
By Saint Amand
Located in Dallas, TX
Decorate a mantel or a buffet with this elegant pair of antique Majolica vases from France. Crafted in the northern city of Saint Amand, circa 1890, each large vase with tall neck, i...
Category
Late 19th Century French Antique Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Ceramic, Majolica
Midcentury Set Majolica Red Fish Ceramic Covered Sauce Tureen Box Salt & Pepper
Located in Coimbra, PT
Gorgeous small size set hyper realistic glazed ceramic fish covered sauce tureen and salt and pepper in shades of vibrant red and grey with dark accents ...
Category
Mid-20th Century Portuguese Mid-Century Modern Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Ceramic, Earthenware, Majolica, Pottery
Pair of Unique Ceramic Vases Fat Lava Style with Art Nouveau/Art Deco Influence
Located in Antwerp, BE
Pair of Unique Mid-Century Ceramic Vases – Fat Lava Style with Art Nouveau/Art Deco Influences
A stunning and rare pair of mid-20th-century ceramic vases, reminiscent of the iconic ...
Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Ceramic, Majolica
Minton Majolica Putti with Basket Vase
By Minton
Located in Chelmsford, Essex
Minton Majolica figural vase which features a putti holding a basket, with a quiver of arrows between his feet. Colouration: cream, yellow, blue, are predominant. The piece bears mak...
Category
1860s Victorian Antique Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Majolica
Blue Ceramic Potiche Centerpiece Vase Lid Majolica Hand Painted Deruta Italy
By deBlona
Located in Recanati, IT
Our elegant "Blue Parrots" potiche was handmade using the potter's wheel and then painted entirely by hand in Deruta, a town in central Italy that is among the most famous for majoli...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Ceramic, Majolica
Brownfield Majolica Figure of a Child, Titled PAPA
Located in Chelmsford, Essex
Brownfield Majolica figure which features a young child wearing a grown ups hat and shoes, carrying an umbrella. Title, 'PAPA' molded into the base - French and Spanish for Dad. No d...
Category
1870s Victorian Antique Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Majolica
Contemporary Italian Hunter Green Majolica Crown Bowl with Pure Gold Accents
Located in New York, NY
Italian contemporary post-modern Work of Art in the shape of a castle crown in majolica, exclusive design by Ceramica Gatti, an Art Studio of long tradition and Designer Ettore Sotts...
Category
2010s Italian Art Deco Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Gold, Enamel
Contemporary Ceramic Vase, Turquoise, Brown, Collectible Design, Handmade Italy
By deBlona
Located in Recanati, IT
The "Abisso Caraibi" vase, crafted and painted by hand in Italy, draws inspiration from the mysterious depths of the ocean. Its unique coloring technique ensures that no two pieces a...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Ceramic, Majolica
Brown Westhead Moore and Co. Majolica Belted Suitcase Box and Cover
Located in Chelmsford, Essex
Brown Westhead Moore Co. Majolica box and cover which features a suitcase (perhaps), with two belt straps either side of a twisted rope handle. Coloration: cobalt blue, brown, ochre,...
Category
1880s English Victorian Antique Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Majolica
Jerome Massier Fils Majolica Dog Spill Vase
Located in Chelmsford, Essex
Jerome Massier Fils French Majolica vase which features a hunting dog stood in front of a tree trunk. Coloration: cream, brown, green, are predominant. The piece bears maker's marks ...
Category
Early 1900s French Victorian Antique Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Majolica
Antique Swiss Arts & Crafts Brown Green Blue Thoune Majolica Note/Match Holder
By Thoune
Located in New York, NY
Early 20th century Arts & Crafts Majolica art pottery rare note/match holder, made by the Swiss factory Thun / Thoune, circa 1910s. This note/match holder, entirely handcrafted and hand-painted, is decorated with a modern Eastern accent...
Category
Early 20th Century Swiss Arts and Crafts Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Earthenware, Majolica
Contemporary Blue Butterflies Hand Painted Mother of Pearl Luster Ceramic Vase
By deBlona
Located in Recanati, IT
Our "Petalouda Iris" majolica vase showcases the timeless charm of the blue butterfly, capturing the essence of its elegance. Revered in all cultures as a symbol of fulfilled desires...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Ceramic, Clay, Majolica
Garibaldi's Portrait Majolica, Ceramic, Made in Italy
Located in Roma, IT
This Garibaldi's Portrait Majolica is an original decorative object realized in ceramic.
An interesting colored ceramic tile representing the Italian 19th century general Giuseppe...
Category
19th Century Italian Antique Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Majolica
White and blue coiled majolica vase hand-painted Italy contemporary
Located in London, GB
Hand coiled ceramic vase by Onofrio Acone, glazed earthenware (majolica) unique piece hand-built and hand-painted approx. 31cm width 40cm height
Onofrio Acone is a ceramic artist...
Category
2010s Italian Greco Roman Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Ceramic, Clay, Majolica
Large majolica Albarello with pharmaceutical writing, Italy circa 1730.
Located in Milan, IT
Large majolica Albarello with a flared central body with curvatures at shoulder height, wide distinct foot (8,75’’), flared and moulded. Wide mouth, strongly projecting harpy-shaped ...
Category
Mid-18th Century Italian Antique Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Majolica
Worcester Majolica Frog, Monkey and Tortoise Vase
Located in Chelmsford, Essex
Royal Worcester Majolica vase which features a frog riding on the back of a monkey, which is sitting on the back of a tortoise. A bamboo vase behind...
Category
1880s English Victorian Antique Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Majolica
1870s St. Clement French Faience Majolica Pair of White Pink Flower Vases
Located in New York, NY
A charming pair of handcrafted flower vases, late 19th century fine French majolica, characterized by an unusual conical shape with waist, hand enameled with a gold band, decorated w...
Category
1870s French Napoleon III Antique Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Majolica
Vase Potiche Jar Lid Decorated Ornament Decorative Majolica Total White Vessel
By deBlona
Located in Recanati, IT
This splendid potiche vase is handmade and hand-painted in Italy, following the original Renaissance painting technique, unchanged over time, which we obs...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Ceramic, Majolica
Majolica Vase Snake Two-handled Amphora Orange Blue Hand Painted Italian Ceramic
By deBlona
Located in Recanati, IT
Amphora in majolica handmade in Italy and hand-painted in polychrome, decorated with a reinterpretation of the patterns used in Deruta during the Fifteenth Century, following the ori...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Renaissance Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Ceramic, Majolica
19th Century French Hand Painted Barbotine Faience Vase with Bird Motifs
Located in Dallas, TX
The colorful antique majolica vase was created in France circa 1890. Round in shape, the decorative ceramic vase features intricate details, including painted flowers and three birds...
Category
Late 19th Century French Napoleon III Antique Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Faience, Majolica
1875 Antique French Longwy Style Centerpiece Flower Vase of Asian Decor by Gien
By Gien
Located in New York, NY
Dated 1875, French rare centerpiece / bowl in majolica by Gien renowned for its exquisite Faience fine. This piece of unusual fan shape is decorated with ...
Category
1870s French Japonisme Antique Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Enamel
French Majolica Elephant
Located in New York, NY
From Normandy, rare extra-large Bavent French Majolica elephant. White glaze finish, two-tone brown woven blanket and ceremonial basket. This charmin...
Category
20th Century French Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Majolica
$15,500
French Art Nouveau Majolica Vase with Thistles and Lizards, circa 1900
Located in New York, NY
This beautifully designed and highly decorative Art Nouveau ceramic vase is outstanding by all measures. It is very impressive and fabulously rendered in a most unusual technique, co...
Category
Early 1900s French Art Nouveau Antique Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Majolica
Pair 19th Century French Hand Painted Barbotine Ceramic Vases with Fruit Motifs
Located in Dallas, TX
Bring colors to your mantel with this pair of antique Majolica vases with fruit motifs. Crafted in Southern France, circa 1880, this ceramic composition is a Classic example of barbo...
Category
Late 19th Century French Antique Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Ceramic, Majolica
Vase Vessel Ceramic Centerpiece Ornament Aquamarine Majolica Flower Holder Italy
By deBlona
Located in Recanati, IT
Large majolic vase in green aquamarine color, glazed in polychrome, characterized by the elegant presence of naturalistic ornamental motifs that enhance its forms beautifully. Its po...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Ceramic, Clay, Majolica
Large Amphora Vase Majolica Figurative Subject Crocodile Hunt Rubens Policrome
Located in Recanati, IT
Majestic majolica Amphora vase, with a height of 183 cm (72 in) and a diameter of 52 cm (20,5 in): a unique piece, entirely handmade and hand-painted in Gubbio, Central Italy, in 1995. Its surface is decorated with a splendid and detailed reproduction of the famous "The Hippopotamus and Crocodile Hunt", painted by Peter Paul Ruben's (1615).
The body of the vase shows remarkable technical capabilities, given its size and complexity. The amphora is divided into three parts: the base, the central body and the neck. The rarity of majolica artworks of this size lies in the technical difficulty of managing the entire creation process given the large size, both for the making of the terracotta artifact and the subsequent decorating phase. During the first firing of the clay biscuit the risk of breakage is very high and also during the second firing of the color majolica hides many pitfalls, this explains the rarity of artworks of this size, the difficulty of the decorations and consequently their value.
Description of the reproduction painted :
Peter Paul Rubens created the canvas oil painting entitled The Hippopotamus and Crocodile Hunt between 1615–16. The hunt takes place on the banks of the Nile, as indicated by a palm tree in the background. As hippopotami and crocodiles were considered dangerous nuisances, their destruction was a duty performed by noblemen. The hunting party comprises three men in orientalizing costume—mounted on Arabian horses, who hunt with lance and sword—and two valets clad in roughly-hewn jerkins—one of whom has been killed by one of the beasts. The enraged hippopotamus tramples the crocodile, as both are attacked by the hunters and hounds...
Category
1990s Italian Baroque Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Ceramic, Majolica
Large Vase, Matte Finish Olive Green, Spheres 24kt Gold Luster, Handmade Italy
By deBlona
Located in Recanati, IT
Exquisite large dark olive green vase with a matte finishing, alternating with reflective surfaces embellished with 24Kt gold luster. This technique sees ceramics to undergo three co...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Gold, Gold Plate
Set of Three Midcentury French Hand Painted Barbotine Ceramic Gnomes Figurines
Located in Dallas, TX
This colorful set of vintage Majolica garden gnome’s sculptures were sculpted in France, circa 1960. The ceramic figures are expressive and unique. One holds a water can and smokes a...
Category
Mid-20th Century French Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Ceramic, Majolica
Raised Bowl Vase, Matt Finishing Ultramarine Blue, Spheres Copper Luster, Italy
By deBlona
Located in Recanati, IT
Large ultramarine blue raised bowl or centerpiece vase with a matte finishing, alternating with reflective surfaces embellished with copper metallic luster. This technique sees ceram...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Copper
Modern Vase, Matte Finish Warm White, Spheres 24kt Gold Luster, Handmade Italy
By deBlona
Located in Recanati, IT
Elegant warm white vase with a matte finishing, alternating with reflective surfaces embellished with 24Kt gold luster. This technique sees ceramics to undergo three cooking phases: ...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Gold, Gold Plate
Contemporary Italian Hunter Green Majolica Crown Bowl with Pure Gold Accents
Located in New York, NY
Italian contemporary post-modern Work of Art in the shape of a castle crown in majolica, exclusive design by Ceramica Gatti, an Art Studio of long tradition and Designer Ettore Sotts...
Category
2010s Italian Art Deco Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Gold, Enamel
Light Blue and Gray Ceramic Majolica Amphora Hand Painted Francois Boucher Italy
Located in Recanati, IT
Large ceramic amphora with handles, made and painted entirely by hand, central Italy production, year 2009. The decoration on the vase is a reproduction of a painting by Francois Bou...
Category
Early 2000s Italian Neoclassical Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Ceramic, Majolica
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.
Read More
How a Craving for Color Revolutionized Glass
After synthetic dyes changed fashion, home goods and printed matter, it was only a matter of time till glass caught up.
Kazuyo Sejima’s Flowering Tree Blooms Year-Round
The brilliantly simple design turns a modest bouquet into a major statement.
He Wrote ‘Oedipus Rex,’ but Do You Know What He Looked Like?
The Greek tragedian is said to have been handsome in his day.
Cigar Culture Was Once the Peak of Masculinity. Now, It’s a Compelling Curiosity
Even for those who don’t indulge, elegant smoking accessories and audacious art portraying cigar enthusiasts hold a nostalgic allure.
African Travel Plans on Hold? This Ardmore Leopard Vase Brings the Beauty of the Savanna to You
It’s an excellent example of the sought-after ceramics coming out of South Africa’s KwaZulu-Natal province.
With a High-Tech Flagship and Cool Collabs, Lladró Is Breaking the Mold for Porcelain Production
Thanks to its new leadership, the Spanish maker of figurines, busts and lighting is on a mission to update the art of porcelain for the 21st century.
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.
Recently Viewed
View AllMore Ways To Browse
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