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Majolica Furniture

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Material: Majolica
French Majolica Oyster Plate Russian Imperial Eagle, circa 1890
French Majolica Oyster Plate Russian Imperial Eagle, circa 1890

French Majolica Oyster Plate Russian Imperial Eagle, circa 1890

Located in Austin, TX

French Majolica oyster plate called Russian imperial eagle, circa 1890. Reference / page 132 "Oyster Plates" of Jeffrey B. Snyder.

Category

1890s French Aesthetic Movement Antique Majolica Furniture

Materials

Ceramic, Faience, Majolica

Majolica Fish Sealife Platter Vallauris, circa 1950
Majolica Fish Sealife Platter Vallauris, circa 1950

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 Furniture

Materials

Ceramic, Faience, Majolica

19th Century Majolica Pink and Blue Oyster Plate Gien
19th Century Majolica Pink and Blue Oyster Plate Gien

19th Century Majolica Pink and Blue Oyster Plate Gien

By Gien

Located in Austin, TX

Rare 19th century Majolica oyster plate with pastels colors, shells and seaweeds signed Gien.

Category

1890s French Aesthetic Movement Antique Majolica Furniture

Materials

Ceramic, Majolica

Vase Vessel Ceramic Centerpiece Ornament Aquamarine Majolica Flower Holder Italy
Vase Vessel Ceramic Centerpiece Ornament Aquamarine Majolica Flower Holder Italy

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 Furniture

Materials

Ceramic, Clay, Majolica

19th Century Majolica Bird & Flowers Platter
19th Century Majolica Bird & Flowers Platter

19th Century Majolica Bird & Flowers Platter

Located in Austin, TX

19th Century Continental Majolica Bird & Flowers Platter. 14 inches by 9.3 inches.

Category

Early 1900s French Rustic Antique Majolica Furniture

Materials

Ceramic, Majolica

Pair of 19th Century English Majolica Bamboo Vase
Pair of 19th Century English Majolica Bamboo Vase

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

Majolica Bowl or Vide Poche blue green white colors circa 1900 Belgium
Majolica Bowl or Vide Poche blue green white colors circa 1900 Belgium

Majolica Bowl or Vide Poche blue green white colors circa 1900 Belgium

Located in Auribeau sur Siagne, FR

Beatiful colored Art nouveau Bowl or vide poche. Designed with large green leaves, flowers, circa 1900. It has been made in Belgium

Category

Early 1900s Belgian Art Nouveau Antique Majolica Furniture

Materials

Majolica

Majolica Hand-painted Footed Urn Vase with Lid, Italy 1950s-1960s
Majolica Hand-painted Footed Urn Vase with Lid, Italy 1950s-1960s

Majolica Hand-painted Footed Urn Vase with Lid, Italy 1950s-1960s

Located in Clifton Springs, NY

Vintage Majolica tall lidded footed urn vase features abstract floral and geometric decor in shades of green on white background. The vase stands on a rounded pedestal foot and is co...

Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Majolica Furniture

Materials

Ceramic, Majolica, Pottery

Large English Victorian Hunt Scene Jardiniere Circa 1890
Large English Victorian Hunt Scene Jardiniere Circa 1890

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 Furniture

Materials

Ceramic, Faience, Majolica

Planter Jugendstil, Art Nouveau, Liberty, France, Year: 1890
Planter Jugendstil, Art Nouveau, Liberty, France, Year: 1890

Planter Jugendstil, Art Nouveau, Liberty, France, Year: 1890

Located in Ciudad Autónoma Buenos Aires, C

Delphin Massier was born in 1836 and was a renowned French ceramicist who played a significant role in the revival of artistic ceramics in Vallauris. His father, Jacques Massier, and...

Category

1890s French Art Nouveau Antique Majolica Furniture

Materials

Majolica

Andalusian Green Glazed Ceramic Jug Vase, Hand-Crafted, Spain, 1950s
Andalusian Green Glazed Ceramic Jug Vase, Hand-Crafted, Spain, 1950s

Andalusian Green Glazed Ceramic Jug Vase, Hand-Crafted, Spain, 1950s

Located in Barcelona, ES

Eye-catching Andalusian Handled Jar or Vessel in Green Glazed Ceramic. Spain, 1950s This outstanding jar vase has engraved geometric details thorough creating a beautiful pattern. Si...

Category

20th Century Spanish Folk Art Majolica Furniture

Materials

Ceramic, Majolica

Majolica Octogonal Water Lily Asparagus Plate Saint Clement
Majolica Octogonal Water Lily Asparagus Plate Saint Clement

Majolica Octogonal Water Lily Asparagus Plate Saint Clement

By Saint-Clément

Located in Austin, TX

Majolica Art Nouveau asparagus plate signed Keller et Guerin Saint Clement, unusual shape. Every important French manufactures produced at the end of the 19th century asparagus and a...

Category

Early 1900s French Art Nouveau Antique Majolica Furniture

Materials

Ceramic, Faience, Majolica

Ceramiche Daedalus Vietri Majolica Bud Vase, Italy Postmodern
Ceramiche Daedalus Vietri Majolica Bud Vase, Italy Postmodern

Ceramiche Daedalus Vietri Majolica Bud Vase, Italy Postmodern

Located in Clifton Springs, NY

Playful bud vase is hand painted with bright and cheerful decor of houses, fruits, and flowers that wraps around the vase and creates a surrealistic landscape. The rim is defined wi...

Category

20th Century Italian Post-Modern Majolica Furniture

Materials

Ceramic, Majolica, Pottery

Lemons Majolica Ceramic Dinnerware Dessert Serving Set for Six
Lemons Majolica Ceramic Dinnerware Dessert Serving Set for Six

Lemons Majolica Ceramic Dinnerware Dessert Serving Set for Six

Located in Barcelona, ES

A beautiful glazed ceramic hand painted serving set, France, 1930s-1940s Set includes 6 dishes and a large serving tray with handles at both sides. All hand painted with lemons and l...

Category

20th Century French Art Deco Majolica Furniture

Materials

Ceramic, Majolica

19th Century Majolica Begonia Leaf Wilhelm Schiller & Son Vide-Poche
19th Century Majolica Begonia Leaf Wilhelm Schiller & Son Vide-Poche

19th Century Majolica Begonia Leaf Wilhelm Schiller & Son Vide-Poche

By Wilhelm Schiller & Son

Located in Austin, TX

Small 19th Century Majolica Begonia Leaf signed Wilhelm Schiller & Son Vide-Poche. High quality. 6.3 by 3.6 inches. Wilhelm Schiller began production of porcelain and earthenware in ...

Category

1880s Czech Rustic Antique Majolica Furniture

Materials

Ceramic, Faience, Majolica

19th Century Majolica Palissy Wicker Boat with a Fish
19th Century Majolica Palissy Wicker Boat with a Fish

19th Century Majolica Palissy Wicker Boat with a Fish

By Thomas Victor Sergent

Located in Austin, TX

Small 19th century Majolica Palissy wicker boat with a fish, very fine quality, the boat is decorated with leaves and moss.

Category

1880s French Victorian Antique Majolica Furniture

Materials

Ceramic, Majolica

Victorian Majolica “Three-Legged Gentleman” Teapot, William Brownfield & Sons
Victorian Majolica “Three-Legged Gentleman” Teapot, William Brownfield & Sons

Victorian Majolica “Three-Legged Gentleman” Teapot, William Brownfield & Sons

By William Brownfield

Located in West Palm Beach, FL

Victorian Majolica “Three-Legged Gentleman” Teapot Attributed to William Brownfield & Sons, Cobridge, Staffordshire, ca. 1875–1885 A rare Victorian majolica teapot modeled as a comi...

Category

19th Century English High Victorian Antique Majolica Furniture

Materials

Majolica

Antique English Minton Majolica Pottery Blue Pottery Beer Jug Pitcher 1870
Antique English Minton Majolica Pottery Blue Pottery Beer Jug Pitcher 1870

Antique English Minton Majolica Pottery Blue Pottery Beer Jug Pitcher 1870

By Minton

Located in Portland, OR

Antique English Minton majolica jug/pitcher, circa 1870. A very handsome majolica jug, with a cobalt blue background, the spout of the jug is decorated with a yellow glazed mask of a...

Category

1870s English High Victorian Antique Majolica Furniture

Materials

Majolica, Pottery

19th Century Majolica Snail Platter Luneville
19th Century Majolica Snail Platter Luneville

19th Century Majolica Snail Platter Luneville

By Luneville

Located in Austin, TX

19th Century Majolica Snail Platter attributed to Luneville. Diameter / 11.3 inches . one chip on the back, hairline ( picture )

Category

1880s French Aesthetic Movement Antique Majolica Furniture

Materials

Ceramic, Faience, Majolica

Pair of Wedgwood Majolica Cauliflower Pattern Plates, English 1920.
Pair of Wedgwood Majolica Cauliflower Pattern Plates, English 1920.

Pair of Wedgwood Majolica Cauliflower Pattern Plates, English 1920.

By Wedgwood

Located in Banner Elk, NC

Pair of stunning Majolica plates by Wedgwood in cauliflower patterned texture on outer rim. Stamped on back with "Wedgwood", "Made in England" and pattern number "5697". In great con...

Category

1920s English Vintage Majolica Furniture

Materials

Majolica

Large Vallauris Leaf Majolica Platter, France, 1950's
Large Vallauris Leaf Majolica Platter, France, 1950's

Large Vallauris Leaf Majolica Platter, France, 1950's

By Vallauris

Located in Aramits, Nouvelle-Aquitaine

Large leaf-shaped ceramic platter manufactured in Vallauris, France, circa 1950–1960. The piece is made in majolica with a sculpted leaf profile, including central veining and a stem...

Category

Mid-20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Majolica Furniture

Materials

Ceramic, Majolica, Pottery

Pair of Majolica Palissy Vases with Mistletoe, circa 1880
Pair of Majolica Palissy Vases with Mistletoe, circa 1880

Pair of Majolica Palissy Vases with Mistletoe, circa 1880

Located in Austin, TX

Palissy pair of small handled vases decorated with mistletoe, circa 1880. The School of Paris was composed by makers as Victor Barbizet, Francois Maurice, Thomas Sergent, Georges pull...

Category

1880s French Victorian Antique Majolica Furniture

Materials

Majolica, Ceramic, Faience

19th Century Green Majolica Rooster Plate Choisy Le Roi
19th Century Green Majolica Rooster Plate Choisy Le Roi

19th Century Green Majolica Rooster Plate Choisy Le Roi

By Choisy-le-Roi

Located in Austin, TX

Green Majolica plate with rooster signed Hippolyte Boulenger Choisy le Roi, circa 1890. The manufacture of Choisy le Roi was one of the most important manufacture at the end of 19th ...

Category

1890s French Country Antique Majolica Furniture

Materials

Majolica, Ceramic

Majolica Vase Birds & Lilac Jerome Massier Fils circa 1900
Majolica Vase Birds & Lilac Jerome Massier Fils circa 1900

Majolica Vase Birds & Lilac Jerome Massier Fils circa 1900

By Jerome Massier Fils

Located in Austin, TX

Majolica Vase Birds & Lilac signed Jerome Massier Fils circa 1900. H / 11.5 inches , diameter / 7 inches. The Massier are known for the quality of their unique enamels and paintings....

Category

Early 1900s French Rustic Antique Majolica Furniture

Materials

Majolica, Ceramic

Fratelli Fanciullacci Majolica Vase with Relief Decor, Italy Mid Century
Fratelli Fanciullacci Majolica Vase with Relief Decor, Italy Mid Century

Fratelli Fanciullacci Majolica Vase with Relief Decor, Italy Mid Century

By Fratelli Fanciullacci

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 Furniture

Materials

Ceramic, Majolica, Pottery

19th Century Green Majolica Mallard Duck Plate Choisy Le Roi
19th Century Green Majolica Mallard Duck Plate Choisy Le Roi

19th Century Green Majolica Mallard Duck Plate Choisy Le Roi

By Choisy-le-Roi

Located in Austin, TX

19th Century Green Majolica Mallard Duck Plate Hippolyte Boulenger Choisy le Roi, circa 1890. The manufacture of Choisy le Roi was one of the most important manufacture at the end of...

Category

1890s French Country Antique Majolica Furniture

Materials

Majolica, Ceramic

Majolica Water Lily Asparagus Plate Keller & Guerin Saint Clement
Majolica Water Lily Asparagus Plate Keller & Guerin Saint Clement

Majolica Water Lily Asparagus Plate Keller & Guerin Saint Clement

By Saint-Clément

Located in Austin, TX

Majolica Art Nouveau asparagus plate unsigned Keller et Guerin Saint Clement Every important French manufactures produced at the end of the 19th century asparagus and artichoke sets...

Category

Early 1900s French Art Nouveau Antique Majolica Furniture

Materials

Majolica

Mid-Century Modern Large Majolica Sitting Siamese Cat Jar & Lid Italy 1960s-1970
Mid-Century Modern Large Majolica Sitting Siamese Cat Jar & Lid Italy 1960s-1970

Mid-Century Modern Large Majolica Sitting Siamese Cat Jar & Lid Italy 1960s-1970

Located in Clifton Springs, NY

Large ceramic jar with the lid features Siamese cat or large kitten, sitting straight with its head held slightly upwards, looking straight at the viewer. The figurine is decorated w...

Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Majolica Furniture

Materials

Ceramic, Majolica, Pottery, Terracotta

George Jones Majolica Lily Sweetmeat Dish
George Jones Majolica Lily Sweetmeat Dish

George Jones Majolica Lily Sweetmeat Dish

By George Jones

Located in Chelmsford, Essex

George Jones Majolica sweetmeat dish which features pond lilies and bulrushes. Pink interior version. Colouration: green, brown, white, are predominant. Bears a pattern number, '3395'.

Category

1870s Antique Majolica Furniture

Materials

Majolica

Vintage Majolica Ceramic Winking Cat Kitten Figurine, Italy 1950s-1960s
Vintage Majolica Ceramic Winking Cat Kitten Figurine, Italy 1950s-1960s

Vintage Majolica Ceramic Winking Cat Kitten Figurine, Italy 1950s-1960s

Located in Clifton Springs, NY

Vintage ceramic sculpture features tabby cat or kitten, resting on the pillow with its head slightly lifted and turned to a side. The figurine is decorated with majolica glaze with h...

Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Organic Modern Majolica Furniture

Materials

Ceramic, Majolica, Pottery

James Hadley Royal Worcester Rare Majolica Camel & Howdah
James Hadley Royal Worcester Rare Majolica Camel & Howdah

James Hadley Royal Worcester Rare Majolica Camel & Howdah

By James Hadley

Located in Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire

A very rare and unusual antique Royal Worcester majolica pottery figure of a camel and howdah by renowned potter James Hadley (British, 1837-1903) and dated 22nd June 1870. James H...

Category

1870s English Arts and Crafts Antique Majolica Furniture

Materials

Majolica, Pottery

Majolica Oranges Plate by Keller & Guerin Saint Clement, France 1900s
Majolica Oranges Plate by Keller & Guerin Saint Clement, France 1900s

Majolica Oranges Plate by Keller & Guerin Saint Clement, France 1900s

By Saint-Clément

Located in Valencia, VC

Majolica plate by Keller et Guerin Saint-Clément featuring the oranges decor. Hand produced in France circa the 1900s. In beautiful condition. Very pretty. We specialized in 20th...

Category

Early 1900s French French Provincial Antique Majolica Furniture

Materials

Ceramic, Earthenware, Majolica, Porcelain

Antique Majolica Oak Leaf & Acorn Nut Tree Bark Creamer Pitcher Jug 8"
Antique Majolica Oak Leaf & Acorn Nut Tree Bark Creamer Pitcher Jug 8"

Antique Majolica Oak Leaf & Acorn Nut Tree Bark Creamer Pitcher Jug 8"

Located in Dayton, OH

Antique Majolica creamer pitcher / jug featuring a tree bark, oak leaf and acorn nut theme with branch handle, purple lavender interior. Dimensions: 6" x 5" x 8.25" (Width x Depth x...

Category

Early 20th Century Majolica Furniture

Materials

Majolica

Hand-Painted Art Nouveau Majolica Vase, Plum Design, 1890s
Hand-Painted Art Nouveau Majolica Vase, Plum Design, 1890s

Hand-Painted Art Nouveau Majolica Vase, Plum Design, 1890s

Located in New Orleans, LA

Large majolica Art Nouveau Bohemia vase in lovely shades of brown, plum and leaf green. Foliage and plum fruit decoration developing around the neck and the throat, and down to the b...

Category

1890s Czech Art Nouveau Antique Majolica Furniture

Materials

Majolica

19th Century German Majolica Swan Plate circa 1900
19th Century German Majolica Swan Plate circa 1900

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

Holdcroft Majolica Square Box and Cover
Holdcroft Majolica Square Box and Cover

Holdcroft Majolica Square Box and Cover

By Joseph Holdcroft

Located in Chelmsford, Essex

Holdcroft Majolica square box and cover which features storks, squirrels, blossom and parrot feet. Coloration: cobalt blue, green, turquoise, are predomi...

Category

1880s English Antique Majolica Furniture

Materials

Majolica

Early 20th Century French Painted Barbotine Ceramic Duck Pitcher
Early 20th Century French Painted Barbotine Ceramic Duck Pitcher

Early 20th Century French Painted Barbotine Ceramic Duck Pitcher

Located in Dallas, TX

This French mjolica water pitcher was crafted in France circa 1920. The pitcher features a mallard duck in flight, set against a naturalistic backdrop of reeds and cattails. The rich...

Category

Early 20th Century French Majolica Furniture

Materials

Ceramic, Majolica

Blue Ceramic Majolica Vase Vessel Decorative Butterflies Hand Painted Italy
Blue Ceramic Majolica Vase Vessel Decorative Butterflies Hand Painted Italy

Blue Ceramic Majolica Vase Vessel Decorative Butterflies Hand Painted Italy

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 Furniture

Materials

Ceramic, Clay, Majolica

19th Century Majolica Asparagus Platter Saint Amand
19th Century Majolica Asparagus Platter Saint Amand

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

Centerpiece / Centrepiece, Bowl, Majolica, Eichwald, Art Deco, 1920, Bohemia
Centerpiece / Centrepiece, Bowl, Majolica, Eichwald, Art Deco, 1920, Bohemia

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 Furniture

Materials

Ceramic, Majolica

19th Century English Majolica Fans Dish
19th Century English Majolica Fans Dish

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

Rare Minton Majolica Posy Vase, circa 1875
Rare Minton Majolica Posy Vase, circa 1875

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 Furniture

Materials

Ceramic, Faience, Majolica

Majolica Asparagus Plate with Mums Keller & Guerin Saint Clement
Majolica Asparagus Plate with Mums Keller & Guerin Saint Clement

Majolica Asparagus Plate with Mums Keller & Guerin Saint Clement

By Saint-Clément

Located in Austin, TX

Majolica Art Nouveau asparagus plate with mums signed Keller et Guerin Saint Clement. 9 inches diameter. Every important French manufactures produced at the end of the 19th Century a...

Category

Early 1900s French Art Nouveau Antique Majolica Furniture

Materials

Ceramic, Majolica

Large Antique French Gien White Pale Blue Majolica Oyster Platter, Circa 1890
Large Antique French Gien White Pale Blue Majolica Oyster Platter, Circa 1890

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 Monumental Majolica Shell Vase Circa 1880
French Monumental Majolica Shell Vase Circa 1880

French Monumental Majolica Shell Vase Circa 1880

Located in Austin, TX

Stunning monumental Majolica pink clamshell jardiniere, circa 1880. This yellow and brown footed shell is decorated with coral,seaweeds and yellow...

Category

1880s French Aesthetic Movement Antique Majolica Furniture

Materials

Majolica, Ceramic, Faience

Minton Majolica Pigeon Centrepiece Bowl
Minton Majolica Pigeon Centrepiece Bowl

Minton Majolica Pigeon Centrepiece Bowl

By Minton

Located in Chelmsford, Essex

Minton Majolica centrepiece bowl which features three pigeons perched on a leafy oak branch, supporting a large basketweave bowl on their fan tails. Bowl is decorated with oak leaves...

Category

1870s 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.