Majolica Decorative Objects
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Material: Majolica
Antique Spanish Polychrome Ceramic Charger with a Bull Decoration
Located in Haddonfield, NJ
Circa 1800 Spanish Majolica Faience centerpiece bowl or charger.
This charming collectible antique painted ceramic dish is decorated with a large rear facing bull and with polychrom...
Category
Early 19th Century Spanish Folk Art Antique Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Ceramic, Majolica
$472 Sale Price
79% Off
Pair of German Majolica Lady And Gent Figures
Located in Chelmsford, Essex
Pair of German Majolica figurals which feature a well dressed lady and gentleman, walking a dog. Coloration: blue, cream, turquoise, are predominant. Bea...
Category
1880s German Victorian Antique Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Majolica
$1,516 / set
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 Decorative Objects
Materials
Ceramic, Faience, Majolica
$464 Sale Price
20% Off
Majolica Cicada Vase Jerome Massier Fils, circa 1940
Located in Austin, TX
Majolica vase with cicada signed Jerome Massier Fils, circa 1940.
Provençal style.
Category
1950s French Country Vintage Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Ceramic, Majolica
$200 Sale Price
20% Off
Pair of Jerome Massier Hen & Rooster Vases
Located in Chelmsford, Essex
Pair of Jerome Massier French Majolica figural vases which feature a pair of chickens - a cockerel and a hen, stood in front of wheatsheaf receptacles. Colouration: yellow, teal blue...
Category
1910s Victorian Vintage Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Majolica
$6,268 / set
Jasba Vase, West German Pottery 1950s-1960s
By Jasba
Located in Clifton Springs, NY
Mid Century Modern ceramic vase features an abstract motif in Burgundy red glaze, sponged on in free-flowing patterns and outlined with gold, on light green background. The decor ap...
Category
Mid-20th Century German Mid-Century Modern Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Ceramic, Majolica, Pottery
$200 Sale Price
20% Off
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 Decorative Objects
Materials
Ceramic, Majolica
$1,440 Sale Price
20% Off
Large 20" Mid-20th Century Italian Majolica Lemon Topiary Centerpiece
Located in Pearland, TX
A lovely large 20" Mid-Century Italian majolica basket of lemons topiary centerpiece. No maker's mark. Freshen up your kitchen or breakfast room with this charming hand painted arran...
Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Majolica
Spanish Bull Shaped Glazed Ceramic Pitcher
Located in Barcelona, ES
Eye-catching ceramic bull jug / pitcher, Spain, 1960s.
Spanish ceramic bull shaped jug with romanesque inspired decorative details in green, white and brown-black.
This kind of tradi...
Category
20th Century Spanish Mid-Century Modern Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Ceramic, Majolica
19th Century Majolica Shell Jardiniere Sarreguemines
Located in Austin, TX
19th century Majolica Shell Jardiniere signed Sarreguemines.
Coral base.
Category
1890s French Aesthetic Movement Antique Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Majolica, Ceramic
$1,120 Sale Price
20% Off
19th Century Majolica Chesnut Jardinière Saint Clement
Located in Austin, TX
19th Century Majolica Chesnut attributed to Jardinière Saint Clement.
Category
Early 1900s French Art Nouveau Antique Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Ceramic, Faience, Majolica
$1,040 Sale Price
20% Off
Majolica Fish Sealife Platter Vallauris, circa 1950
By Vallauris
Located in Austin, TX
Majolica sealife platter Vallauris, circa 1950.
High relief of 2 fishs, seaweeds, shells, crab, oyster.
Nautical style.
10 inches diameter
Category
1950s French Mid-Century Modern Vintage Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Ceramic, Faience, Majolica
$880 Sale Price
20% Off
19th Century Majolica Elephant Tobacco Jar Onnaing
By Onnaing
Located in Austin, TX
Majolica tobacco jar signed Onnaing, circa 1890.
The two handles are elephants heads, decorated with corn, the handle of the jar is a corn.
Category
1890s French Majolica Pottery Antique Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Majolica
$520 Sale Price
20% Off
Art Nouveau French Antique Ceramic Vase in Blue Majolica with White Gold Flowers
Located in New York, NY
1900-1910 French Art Nouveau Earthenware Vase in faience by Keller & Guérin - Lunéville, raised on 4 feet and decorated with hand-painted flowers enameled in white and azure sky blue...
Category
Early 20th Century French Art Nouveau Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Gold
Rooster Pitcher in Brown Glazed Ceramic, Spain 1960
Located in Barcelona, ES
Eye-catching brown and beige ceramic rooster jug / pitcher, Spain, 1950s-1960s.
Ceramic decorative rooster shaped jug in brown color with fat lava decorati...
Category
20th Century Spanish Mid-Century Modern Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Ceramic, Majolica, Earthenware
Italian Majolica Painted Parrot
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Beautifully detailed sculpted pottery Macaw bird, perched on a branch with flowers. Made in Italy from majolica glazed pottery.
Please confirm location NY ...
Category
20th Century Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
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
$960 Sale Price
20% Off
Large Oval Majolica Palissy Crab and Fish Wall Platter Vallauris, circa 1950
By Vallauris
Located in Austin, TX
Large oval Majolica Palissy crab and fish wall platter Vallauris, circa 1950
Large crab in relief, fish’s, shells and seaweeds.
Category
1950s French Mid-Century Modern Vintage Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Majolica, Ceramic, Faience
$960 Sale Price
20% Off
Majolica Cherries Basket Sarreguemines, circa 1940
Located in Austin, TX
Majolica Trompe l'oeil basket with cherries handle signed Sarreguemines, circa 1940.
Category
1940s French Country Vintage Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Majolica, Ceramic
$240 Sale Price
20% Off
Large Byzantium Moon Jar Hand Painted Ceramic Italy Contemporary Maiolica
Located in London, GB
Byzantium moon jar, 2024, hand-painted maiolica fired with full reduction firing
40 cm diameter, unique piece.
Winner of the Best Object Ceramic & Glass at LAPADA Art & Antiques Fa...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Ceramic, Majolica
Fratelli Fanciullacci Majolica Vase with Relief Decor, Italy Mid Century
Located in Clifton Springs, NY
Unusual vintage majolica vase with complex glaze in dark Bordeau oxblood red and various shades of grey colors features bands of applied reliefs in shape of abstract, graphic flowers. Top and bottom parts of the vase and bands of relief decor are decorated with gold. Monochromatic white glaze was used on inner surfaces, accentuating the palest grey shades in the main glaze.
The vase is signed on the bottom with model number and "Italy"; while it does not have the usual the manufacturer's mark, "FF", the glaze that was used for this series is well documented to Fratelli Fanciullacci. It was common for Italian ceramics manufacturers to omit marking their pieces with their logos if the they were intended for American or European distributors; instead, they would only mark it "Italy" to allow the distributor to use their stickers, or rarely, they would mark the piece with "studio tame" for "distributor name" if the distributor did not object. Pieces from this particular series were made by Fratelli Fanciullacci with their own mark, for Ebeling Reuss...
Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Ceramic, Majolica, Pottery
$272 Sale Price
20% Off
Antique Victorian Historism Majolica Pedestal Bowl / Centerpiece Knights Dragons
Located in Bad Säckingen, DE
This antique Historism centerpiece / pedestal bowl is made of polychrom glazed majolica and features four cartouches decorated with high relief knight helmets and dragons. The manufa...
Category
1880s German Rococo Revival Antique Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Ceramic, Majolica
$654 Sale Price
20% Off
Majolica Parakeets Garniture Set Vases & Jardinière Sarreguemines, circa 1880
Located in Austin, TX
Majolica Parakeets Garniture set with 2 vases and a jardinière planter signed Sarreguemines, circa 1880.
Model 7122.
Measures: Jardinière / Height 6.2", length 11" on 6".
Vases / ...
Category
1880s European Aesthetic Movement Antique Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Majolica, Ceramic
$1,280 Sale Price / set
20% Off
Large French Majolica Palissy Fishs Vase Saint Honore Circa 1880
Located in Austin, TX
Large French Majolica Palissy Fishs Vase signed Saint Honore Circa 1880.
Category
1880s French Victorian Antique Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Majolica
$1,440 Sale Price
73% Off
Pair Large Green and Blue Majolica Vases
Located in New York, NY
Pair large green and blue majolica apothecary jar vases. Italian cylindrical ribbed and slightly concave tin glaze earthenware jars by the famed Ca...
Category
Late 19th Century Italian Antique Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Majolica
$8,800 / set
19th Century Majolica Rose Vase Delphin Massier
Located in Austin, TX
Fine French Majolica pink rose vase signed Delphin Massier, circa 1880.
The Massier family are known for the quality of their unique enamels and painti...
Category
1880s French Art Nouveau Antique Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Majolica, Ceramic, Faience
$1,280 Sale Price
20% Off
Antique English Joseph Roth Majolica Mantel Clock, 19th Century
By Joseph Roth London
Located in Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire
A rare and stylish antique English majolica pottery cased mantel clock attributed to Joseph Roth, London. The clock is lavishly designed with relief moulded floral designs to a shaped four legged base with a the key wind clock...
Category
1880s English High Victorian Antique Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Majolica, Pottery
Majolica Wall Pocket Dog Delphin Massier, circa 1890
Located in Austin, TX
French Majolica dog wall pocket signed Delphin Massier.
Height / 7.3 inches.
The Massier are known for the quality of their unique enamels and paintings. The Massier family produced ...
Category
1890s French Victorian Antique Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Ceramic, Majolica
$1,760 Sale Price
20% Off
Rare French Majolica Pineapple Basket Box Sarreguemines, circa 1890
Located in Austin, TX
Rare French Majolica Pineapple Basket Box Sarreguemines, circa 1890.
Height / 6 inches , Diameter / 3.8 inches.
Category
1920s French Country Vintage Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Ceramic, Faience, Majolica
$384 Sale Price
20% Off
Majolica Fish Sealife Oysters Platter Vallauris, circa 1950
By Vallauris
Located in Austin, TX
Majolica sealife oysters platter Vallauris, circa 1950.
High relief of seaweeds, starfish , oysters , mussel
Nautical style.
8.3 inches diameter
Category
1950s French Mid-Century Modern Vintage Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Ceramic, Faience, Majolica
$464 Sale Price
20% Off
Vintage 20th Century Majolica Style Monkey With Woven Basket Pedestal Bowls
Located in Charleston, SC
Vintage Majolica Monkey Pedestal Compote, Chimpanzee with Grapes & Basket Dish, French Country Tropical Decor Bohemian, Table Display Holder.
This pair of vintage majolica pottery ...
Category
Mid-20th Century Unknown Chinoiserie Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Majolica
Large Rare 19th Century Majolica Flowers Box
Located in Austin, TX
Large Rare 19th Century French Majolica Flowers Box .
12 inches Lenght.
Category
1880s French Rustic Antique Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Ceramic, Majolica
$1,040 Sale Price
20% Off
Large French Majolica Vase with Flowers Edouard Gilles, circa 1880
Located in Austin, TX
Large French Majolica vase with flowers signed Edouard Gilles, circa 1880.
Painted flowers, impressionist period..
Category
1880s French Aesthetic Movement Antique Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Ceramic, Faience, Majolica
$2,000 Sale Price
20% Off
19th Century French Painted Ceramic Barbotine Jardinière with Floral Decor
Located in Dallas, TX
This elegant colorful hand painted Majolica planter was sculpted in Montigny sur Loing, France, circa 1860. The ceramic jardinière with root shape handles features high relief soft pink, blue and beige rose flowers with pale green leaves, and brown and grey background. The ceramic vase is in good condition commensurate with age and use (minor chips on few petals).
Impressionist ceramics term generally applies to "paint the slip" or "batch gouache". At the turn of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, the towns of Montigny-sur-Loing and Marlotte are many artists living places like Jean-Baptiste Corot, Eugène Thirion (1839-1910), Adrien Schulz (1851-1931), Numa Gillet (1868-1940) and Lucien Cahen-Michel (1888-1980), all attracted by the quality of the landscape and the light. When Eugene Schopin founded in 1872 a ceramics factory, he worked with the painters to create a range of designs inspired by Impressionism and decorated according to new public demands. Several ceramic factories will develop around this Impressionist movement. The most famous, such as Georges Delvaux (1834-1909), Albert Boué (1862-1918) and Charles Alphonse Petit (1862-1927), will produce until 1922. Other manufacturers, such as Theodore Lefront...
Category
Late 19th Century French Antique Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Ceramic, Majolica
Large Minton Majolica Jardiniere and Stand Oak & Acorn Motif Turquoise Ca. 1880
By Minton
Located in Katonah, NY
This large and beautifully modeled majolica jardiniere and underplate were hand-painted by Minton in Stoke-upon-Trent, Staffordshire, circa 1880.
The piece presents a lively design ...
Category
Late 19th Century English Arts and Crafts Antique Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Majolica
19th Century Majolica Jardinière by Minton and Carlo Marochetti
By Minton
Located in London, GB
This exquisite jardinière was manufactured by the celebrated English company Minton, who are famous for their ceramics. It was designed by Baron Carlo Marochetti (1805-1867), an Italian-born sculptor who worked in London in the latter part of his career. His most famous work is the bronze sculpture of Richard the Lionheart...
Category
19th Century English Victorian Antique Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Majolica
$4,228 Sale Price
30% Off
French Majolica Birds Fountain Massier circa 1910
Located in Austin, TX
French Majolica fountain with birds signed Massier circa 1910.
Category
1910s French French Provincial Vintage Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Majolica, Ceramic
$960 Sale Price
20% Off
19th Century French Monumental Renaissance Style Majolica Grapes Blue Vase
By Luneville
Located in Austin, TX
19th century French monumental Majolica blue vase with large grapes leaves and fruit stand two large trompe l'oeil rings on the two sides.
This vase...
Category
1880s French Renaissance Revival Antique Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Faience, Ceramic, Majolica
$2,240 Sale Price
50% Off
Majolica Palissy Puttis Jardinière, circa 1880
Located in Austin, TX
Oversize Palissy jardinière inspired by the Renaissance attributed to Thomas Sergent, circa 1880.
Fauns heads handles.
The School of Paris was composed by makers as Victor Barbizet...
Category
1880s French Renaissance Revival Antique Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Majolica, Ceramic, Faience
$2,320 Sale Price
20% Off
19th Century Majolica Impressionist Flowers Box
Located in Austin, TX
19th Century Majolica Impressionist Flowers Box.
Category
1880s French Romantic Antique Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Ceramic, Majolica
$760 Sale Price
20% Off
French 19th Century Brown Majolica Lidded Jar with Moulded Floral Décor
Located in Atlanta, GA
A French brown Majolica lidded jar from the 19th century with green and white moulded floral décor. Born in France during the 19th century, this Majolica jar boasts a lovely brown gr...
Category
19th Century French Antique Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Majolica
Majolica Glazed Ceramic Vegetables Basket Pitcher / Jug, Spain, 1960s
Located in Barcelona, ES
Eye-catching realistic Majolica vegetables jug / pitcher in multicolor glazed ceramic, Spain, 1950s-1960s.
Rare find.
Hand-painted Manises ceramic decorative jug in the shape of a basket of vegetables
A cool accent to any kitchen or to be used as serving pitcher or for decorative purposes. Lovely as a part of a ceramics collection displayed in a cabinet.
Great as gift idea!
Very good condition
The lemons ceramic pitcher and the oranges ceramic pitcher...
Category
Mid-20th Century Spanish Mid-Century Modern Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Ceramic, Majolica
French Pottery Majolica Rabbit Pâté Tureen circa 1950
Located in Austin, TX
French Pottery Majolica Rabbit Pate Tureen circa 1950.
Category
1950s French Rustic Vintage Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Ceramic, Faience, Majolica, Pottery
Art Nouveau style Majolica Cache Pot
Located in LA CIOTAT, FR
A pretty 19th century Majolica cache pot, decorated in shades of green and brown, and featuring the vivid colouration, whimsical shapes and high-relief sculpture typical of the style...
Category
19th Century French Art Nouveau Antique Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Majolica, Porcelain
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 Decorative Objects
Materials
Majolica, Pottery
$2,800 Sale Price
20% Off
Rooster Glazed Ceramic Pitcher, Ukraine, 1950s
Located in Barcelona, ES
Eye-catching black and amber Majolica ceramic rooster jug / pitcher, Ukraine, 1950s-1960s.
A cool accent to any kitchen or to be user as serving pitcher. Lovely as a part of a cerami...
Category
Mid-20th Century Ukrainian Mid-Century Modern Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Ceramic, Majolica
Life Size Leopard Mount Italian Terracotta Mid 20th Century
Located in Rochester, NY
Life size leopard wall mount. Hand painted terracotta. Italian. Mid 20th century.
# modern Hollywood regency animal cat rare large prove...
Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Majolica, Terracotta
Dramatic Pair of Very Large Portrait Motif Majolica Lidded Vases
Located in Hopewell, NJ
Pair of dramatic large and elegant Italian portrait motif lidded vases in the manner of Orazio Fontana.
Category
20th Century Italian Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Majolica
Majolica Triple Bamboo Vase with Birds Massier, circa 1880
Located in Austin, TX
A large Majolica triple bamboo vase decorated with four birds attributed to Delphin Massier, circa 1880.
Category
1880s French Aesthetic Movement Antique Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Ceramic, Faience, Majolica
$3,040 Sale Price
20% Off
Lisa Larson for Gustavsberg Poodle Dog Scandinavian Modern 1963
Located in Clifton Springs, NY
Poodle is made of white stoneware with shiny light blue glaze and dark blue hand painted decoration. It was designed by Lisa Larson (1931-2024) as part of the "Poodles" (Pudlar) ser...
Category
Mid-20th Century Swedish Scandinavian Modern Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Ceramic, Majolica, Pottery
$228 Sale Price
20% Off
Antique English Majolica Figural Basket Planter or Jardiniere with Vine Decor
Located in Hamilton, Ontario
This antique planter is unsigned, but presumed to have originated from England and date to approximately 1890 and done in the period Late Victorian style. The planter is composed of Majolica and done in a figural basket shape with and brown ground with cream accents to the rim and base and green vines...
Category
Late 19th Century English Victorian Antique Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Majolica
Majestic Amphora Vase Majolica Painted Subject Inspired by Leonardo Da Vinci
Located in Recanati, IT
Majestic majolica Amphora vase, with a height of 200 cm (78,7 in) and a diameter of 70 cm (27,5 in): a unique piece, entirely handmade and hand-painted in Gubbio, Central Italy, in 1...
Category
1990s Italian Renaissance Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Ceramic, Majolica
Vallauris Majolica Blue Ceramic Hand Shaped Rings Stand or Vase
By Vallauris
Located in Barcelona, ES
Mid-Century Modern Blue Glazed Ceramic Hand Sculpture by Vallauris. France, 1950s
Eye-catching iridiscent blue ceramic hand vase with fat lava d...
Category
20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Ceramic, Majolica, Pottery
$1,033 Sale Price
20% Off
Antique George Pull Majolica Bowl Dish Reticulated Floral Pattern c 1850 Palissy
By Georges Pull, Bernard Palissy
Located in Bad Säckingen, DE
This is an extremely rare majolica ceramic bowl by George Pull, dating back to around 1850, inspired by the works of Bernard Palissy from the 16th Century...
Category
1850s French Renaissance Revival Antique Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Ceramic, Majolica
Large Vinatge Majolica Cache Pot
Located in LA CIOTAT, FR
A quirky and very retro French Barbotine Majolica cache pot dating from the 19th century, and featuring an eye-catching design of succulent painted fruits encircling its rim. The pot...
Category
20th Century French Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Majolica, Porcelain
19th Century Majolica Roses and Butterfly Jardinière Delphin Massier
Located in Austin, TX
This is one of the most lovely Majolica Art Nouveau cachepot jardinière signed by Delphin Massier, inspired by the nature with roses and three different butterflies.
The Massier fami...
Category
1890s French Art Nouveau Antique Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Ceramic, Faience, Majolica
$5,200 Sale Price
20% Off
Victorian 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. Turquoise ground version. Colou...
Category
1860s English Victorian Antique Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Majolica
19th Century Large Majolica Palissy Fishs Wall Platter
Located in Austin, TX
Large Palissy wall platter a large catshark on the center surrounded by four fishs, two frogs, two crawfishs, two lizards, shells and different greens plants, circa 1900, this platte...
Category
Early 1900s French Victorian Antique Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Majolica
$3,600 Sale Price
20% Off
Large Majolica Wall Pocket Dog Delphin Massier, circa 1890
Located in Austin, TX
Large French Majolica dog wall pocke Delphin Massier.
Height / 8.5 inches.
The Massier are known for the quality of their unique enamels and paintings. The Massier family produced di...
Category
1890s French Victorian Antique Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Ceramic, Majolica
$2,800 Sale Price
20% Off
19th Century French Majolica Log Tobacco Jar
Located in Austin, TX
19th Century French Majolica Log Tobacco Jar.
Category
1890s French Country Antique Majolica Decorative Objects
Materials
Ceramic, Majolica
$360 Sale Price
20% Off
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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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.
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