Majolica Furniture
to
162
1,070
617
1,575
133
6
332
208
157
63
40
19
17
15
15
12
1
1
1
1
1
35
929
611
139
239
251
31
113
9
33
38
6
60
21
7
10
3
1,717
355,900
294,972
231,968
148,662
1,550
756
316
254
231
1,714
1,647
1,690
84
71
65
63
60
Material: Majolica
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 Victorian Majolica Pear Fruit Plate Wedgwood
By Wedgwood
Located in Austin, TX
19th century Victorian Majolica Argenta ware dessert plate decorated with a pear,gooseberries and plums signed Wedgwood.
Category
1890s English Victorian Antique Majolica Furniture
Materials
Majolica, Ceramic
Salins-lès-Bains Rare French Art Majolica Ceramic Asparagus Set, Late 19th C.
By Salins
Located in Saint-Amans-des-Cots, FR
French Art Majolica Ceramic Asparagus Set by Salins-lès-Bains, France, Late 19th Century.
This exquisite and rare French art majolica asparagus set, crafted by Salins-lès-Bains in t...
Category
Late 19th Century French Napoleon III Antique Majolica Furniture
Materials
Ceramic, Majolica
Set of 4 French Majolica Art Nouveau Purple Daisy Plates by Orchies
By Orchies
Located in Hopewell, NJ
Stunning set of four French Majolica Art Nouveau purple daisy plates from French maker Orchies. Beautiful shape and would add elegance to any room or table! #7624
Category
19th Century French Antique Majolica Furniture
Materials
Majolica
19th Century English Majolica Asparagus Platter Joseph Holdcroft
Located in Austin, TX
19th Century English Majolica Asparagus Platter Joseph Holdcroft.
Decorated with blue flowers.
Category
1880s French Rustic Antique Majolica Furniture
Materials
Majolica, Ceramic
French Art Nouveau Majolica Asparagus Plates Saint Clément, 1920s
Located in ASNIÈRES-SUR-SEINE, FR
Superb French Asparagus Art Nouveau plates.
Colors are vibrant, and the three asparagus spears have puple tips. Saint Clément's mark stamped at the underside. Circa 1920.
Category
1920s French Art Nouveau Vintage Majolica Furniture
Materials
Majolica
Samuel Alcock & Co. Majolica Purple Geraniums Plate, English, circa 1860
Located in Banner Elk, NC
Samuel Alcock & Co. Majolica purple glazed geraniums plate, English, circa 1860, molded with purple glazed geranium blossoms, stems and leaves glazed in green, yellow and brown, rese...
Category
19th Century English Victorian Antique Majolica Furniture
Materials
Majolica
Two Beautiful 19th Century Majolica Plates by Villeroy & Boch, Germany
Located in Nuernberg, DE
19th century majolica plates by Villeroy & Boch in unusual color combination of olive green and turquoise with relief design on front. Nice addition to your table or just to display....
Category
19th Century German Victorian Antique Majolica Furniture
Materials
Ceramic, Majolica
Majolica Flowers Oyster Plate Longchamp, circa 1900
By Longchamp
Located in Austin, TX
Majolica oyster plate with different flowers on each shells, circa 1900 signed Longchamp.
Category
Early 1900s French Romantic Antique Majolica Furniture
Materials
Ceramic, Majolica
Sky Small Ceramic Bowl Hand Painted Glazed Majolica Italian Contemporary
Located in London, GB
SKY - Small ceramic bowl by Pantoù Ceramics, hand thrown and hand painted glazed earthenware.
All unique pieces, Italy, 2021. Measure: 15 cm diameter.
Different finishes availa...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Majolica Furniture
Materials
Ceramic, Majolica
Large Ceramic Bowl Hand Painted Majolica Italy Contemporary 21st Century Lustre
Located in London, GB
Mediterranea large bowl, 2020, full-fire reduction faience earthenware with copper lustre 30 cm diameter 10cm height, hand painted unique piece.
Bottega Vignoli is a brand of artistic ceramics...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Majolica Furniture
Materials
Ceramic, Majolica
Matt White Glaze Majolica Sculpture with Hand Sculpted Peony, Italy 21st Century
Located in London, GB
Small ceramic sculptures with peony by Antonietta Mazzotti Emaldi, 2018, Glazed earthenware (majolica) and 24ct gold, entirely handmade, unique piece. Customisation available in terms of colour of both for base and flower.
Antonietta Mazzotti (Faenza, Italy 1950) attended the Istituto d’Arte per la Ceramica in Faenza and opened her first workshop in her hometown taking part in group and solo exhibitions at international level. In 1976 she has transformed the neo-gothic greenhouse of Villa Emaldi in her workshop. Antonietta Mazzotti has worked for some of the most important international museums and has received several important recognitions worldwide. Her works have been featured in major Italian magazines of interior design and she has acquired international visibility being featured in major international press publications, such as The New York Times. She still lives and works at Villa Emaldi in Faenza where she continues her research on historical decor...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Majolica Furniture
Materials
Ceramic, Earthenware, Majolica
Set of Three Majolica Pieces, 19th & 20th Century, Floral Hand-Painted Designs
Located in Auribeau sur Siagne, FR
Set of Three Majolica Pieces, 19th & 20th Century, Floral Hand-Painted Designs
Description:
This beautiful set of three Majolica pieces, consisting of a sugar bowl, a plate, and a small dish, is a charming blend of 19th- and 20th-century craftsmanship. The hand-painted floral motifs, featuring red flowers intertwined with brown and green branches and leaves, create a rich, organic aesthetic. While two pieces date back to the 19th century, the small dish from the 20th century complements the set with its slightly deeper green glaze, adding a harmonious contrast to the ensemble.
Key features include:
Authentic Majolica Craftsmanship: Made from glazed ceramic, these pieces exemplify the vivid, glossy finishes and delicate relief work characteristic of Majolica pottery.
Elegant Floral Decor: The intricately painted red flowers, accompanied by earthy brown branches and lush green leaves, lend a natural and timeless charm to each piece.
Harmonious Color Palette: While each item features a unique glaze, the cohesive color scheme ensures they complement one another, making them ideal for display or functional use.
Versatile Use: Perfect as a decorative set for a kitchen or dining room, these pieces can also serve a practical purpose—the sugar bowl for sweeteners, the plate for serving, and the dish for small delicacies.
Antique Patina & Glossy Finish: The natural patina and high-gloss glaze highlight the rich colors and intricate detailing, making this set a beautiful collector's item.
Historical Charm: Combining two 19th-century pieces with a 20th-century Majolica dish, this set is a wonderful representation of traditional European ceramic artistry.
This Majolica set of three is more than just tableware—it is a testament to historic craftsmanship, offering both decorative appeal and everyday functionality. Whether displayed in a classic or rustic interior or used as part of a unique kitchen setting, it adds a touch of vintage elegance and timeless artistry.
Keywords: 19th-century Majolica pottery, hand-painted floral ceramics, vintage Majolica sugar...
Category
19th Century French French Provincial Antique Majolica Furniture
Materials
Ceramic, Majolica
Majolica Palissy Vase Chalice Thomas Sergent, circa 1880
Located in Austin, TX
19th century Palissy chalice vase signed Thomas Sergent, the feets are stylized with seaweeds in a Renaissance style.
School of Paris.
The School of Paris was composed by makers as Victor Barbizet, Francois Maurice, Thomas Sergent, Georges Pull...
Category
1880s French Renaissance Revival Antique Majolica Furniture
Materials
Majolica
Majolica Game Pie Dish with Chicks England Circa 1870-1880
Located in Katonah, NY
The cover of this majolica game pie dish shows three newly hatched baby chicks emerging from their shells.
The chicks are standing tall and proud.
The brown color of the baby chicks ...
Category
1870s English Country Antique Majolica Furniture
Materials
Majolica
Pink Majolica Ceramic Dessert / Breakfast Service Set for Four
By Secla
Located in Barcelona, ES
A lovely Majolica pink glazed ceramic set of 12 pieces: four large plates, four small plates and four serving bowls.
The set has a lovely pale pink color with details in white and ...
Category
Mid-20th Century Portuguese Mid-Century Modern Majolica Furniture
Materials
Majolica, Pottery, Ceramic
Majolica Ceramic Jar with Lid, Sgraffito Birds Decor, Italy Mid Century Modern
Located in Clifton Springs, NY
Rare majolica jar with lid is decorated with bright, multicolored abstract birds and flowers motifs in sgraffito technique, that were hand-painted over the lines. The handles, the r...
Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Majolica Furniture
Materials
Ceramic, Majolica, Pottery
$260 Sale Price
20% Off
Strawberry Leaf Shaped Platter in Glazed Ceramic, Portugal 1950s
Located in Barcelona, ES
Modernist strawberries leaf design glazed ceramic platter, Portugal, 1950s
A beautiful hand painted Majolica ceramic leaf with strawberries large plat...
Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Majolica Furniture
Materials
Majolica, Pottery, Ceramic
Life-Size Italian seated Dog Majolica Ceramic Statue Figurine Vintage, 1980s
Located in Nuernberg, DE
Classic early 1980s Italian Majolica Ceramic white dog statue figurine. Nice addition to your room or entry hall. Made of majolica ceramic, hand pain...
Category
1980s Italian Modern Vintage Majolica Furniture
Materials
Ceramic, Majolica
Large Majolica Seated Pug Umbrella Stand
Located in Chelmsford, Essex
Unidentified European Majolica stick or umbrella stand which features a Pug. Colouration: grey, blue, brown, are predominant.
Category
Early 1900s Belgian Victorian Antique Majolica Furniture
Materials
Majolica
Vallauris Glazed Ceramic Leaf Flower Platter or Centerpiece Bowl
By Vallauris
Located in Barcelona, ES
Mid-Century Modern multicolor glazed ceramic flower centerpiece bowl. Manufactured by Vallauris, France, 1950-1960.
Eye-catching and colorful flowe...
Category
20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Majolica Furniture
Materials
Majolica, Pottery, Ceramic
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
Antique 19th Century English Majolica Floral Leaf Handled Platter
Located in Pearland, TX
A lovely antique 19th-Century English majolica flowers and leaves plate, platter, or handled dish. This lovely platter is decorated with floral and leaf motifs on a fence and trellis...
Category
Late 19th Century English Antique Majolica Furniture
Materials
Majolica
19th Century Victorian Majolica Bird Box Joseph Holdcroft
Located in Austin, TX
19th Century Victorian Majolica cobalt box with a bird handle and white flowers Joseph Holdcroft.
Very rare shape box.
Category
1880s English Victorian Antique Majolica Furniture
Materials
Ceramic, Faience, Majolica
Majolica Palissy Snake Vase Thomas Sergent, circa 1880
Located in Austin, TX
Small Palissy trunk vase with a colored snake around the vase attributed to the School of Paris, circa 1880.
The School of Paris was composed by makers as Victor Barbizet, Francois ...
Category
1880s French Rustic Antique Majolica Furniture
Materials
Majolica
19th Century Belgium Painted Ceramic Barbotine Sailor Pitcher from Nimy Les Mons
Located in Dallas, TX
Decorate a wet bar with this charming, sculptural Majolica pitcher, crafted in Nimy Les Mons, Belgium circa 1890, the antique, barbotine jug similar to t...
Category
Late 19th Century Belgian Antique Majolica Furniture
Materials
Ceramic, 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 Furniture
Materials
Majolica
Vallauris Extra Large Majolica Ceramic Scalloped Leaf Platter / Centerpiece
By Vallauris
Located in Barcelona, ES
Eye-catching large leaf shaped glazed ceramic platter, serving tray or centerpiece manufactured by Vallauris. France, 1950-1960s.
Interesting to be used as decorative centerpiece bow...
Category
20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Majolica Furniture
Materials
Ceramic, Majolica, Pottery
Mid-Century French Saint Clement Majolica Parrot Absinthe Pitcher Decanter
Located in Pearland, TX
A gorgeous vintage French majolica parrot absinthe pitcher decanter or figural jug hand painted with beautiful vibrant colors, circa 1940-1950. ...
Category
1940s French Vintage Majolica Furniture
Materials
Ceramic, Majolica
French Majolica Rooster Pitcher Keller and Guerin Saint Clement
Located in Austin, TX
French Majolica rooster pitcher Keller and Guerin Saint Clement, circa 1900.
Original older model.
Height / 12.8 inches.
Category
Early 1900s French Rustic Antique Majolica Furniture
Materials
Ceramic, Faience, Majolica
A Large George Jones Majolica Cheese Bell with Daisys, Bees and Fence, ca. 1878
Located in Banner Elk, NC
A Large George Jones Majolica Cheese Bell and Stand, rendered as a beautiful summer's day, the domed lid and stand with a rustic fence and relief-molded daisies, wheat sheaves, and g...
Category
19th Century English Victorian Antique Majolica Furniture
Materials
Majolica
Sicilian South Italian Pair Maiolica Pottery Twin Handled Candlesticks
Located in Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire
A stylish pair antique South Italian Sicilian maiolica pottery twin handled candlesticks dating from the 18th century. The handmade earthenware candlesticks stand on a wide bowl-shap...
Category
18th Century Italian Antique Majolica Furniture
Materials
Earthenware, Majolica
19th Century English Majolica Begonia Leaf Plate
Located in Winter Park, FL
A 19th Century English Majolica glazed ceramic begonia leaf plate with a single green leaf on dark brown ground with yellow accents. Mottled green,...
Category
19th Century American Beaux Arts Antique Majolica Furniture
Materials
Majolica
19th Century Majolica Pair of Jardinieres Butterflies & Snails Royal Worcester
Located in Austin, TX
Pair of Victorian Majolica jardinieres in a shape of wooden fence boxes with ivy, a snail and a butterfly signed Royal Worcester, circa 1...
Category
1880s English Victorian Antique Majolica Furniture
Materials
Majolica, Ceramic, Faience
Antique Majolica Jardinière by Gustave de Bruyn Fives Lille Cherubs Lions Cobalt
Located in Bad Säckingen, DE
This Majolica jardinière is richly decorated, featuring a deep cobalt blue glaze as the base color. The sides are adorned with cherubs and lion heads in golden and brown tones, refle...
Category
Early 1900s French Renaissance Revival Antique Majolica Furniture
Materials
Ceramic, Majolica
A Set of 7 French Majolica Handpainted Asparagus Plates, Mid 20th Century
Located in ARMADALE, VIC
A Set of 7 French Majolica Handpainted Asparagus Plates, Mid 20th Century
Provenance: Private Australian Collection.
Dimensions:
Height: 2cm.
Diameter: 25cm.
Category
1930s French Vintage Majolica Furniture
Materials
Majolica
$425 Sale Price / set
50% Off
French Majolica Leaves Plate Clairefontaine, circa 1890
Located in Austin, TX
French Majolica leaves plate signed Clairefontaine, circa 1890.
Category
1890s French Rustic Antique Majolica Furniture
Materials
Ceramic, Faience, Majolica
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 Furniture
Materials
Ceramic, Majolica
American Etruscan Majolica Teapot in the Form of a Cauliflower
Located in Downingtown, PA
American Etruscan Majolica Teapot in the form of a Cauliflower,
Early Majolica-type body,
Circa 1860
The green molded tromp L'oeil teapot is des...
Category
1860s American American Craftsman Antique Majolica Furniture
Materials
Majolica
Antique Swiss Arts & Crafts Brown Green Blue White Thoune Enamel Ceramic Jug
By Thoune
Located in New York, NY
Early 20th century Arts & Crafts Majolica art pottery jug, made by the Swiss factory Thun/Thoune, circa 1910s. This jug, entirely handcrafted and hand-painted, is decorated with a modern Eastern accent...
Category
Early 20th Century Swiss Arts and Crafts Majolica Furniture
Materials
Earthenware, Majolica
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 Furniture
Materials
Ceramic, Majolica
$496 Sale Price
20% Off
Fratelli Fanciullacci Majolica Cup and Saucer, Italy Mid Century
Located in Clifton Springs, NY
Rare vintage oversized cup and saucer set is decorated with hand painted stylized fruits and leaves decor. The saucer features grapes, and the cup - plums; fruits are depicted hangi...
Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Majolica Furniture
Materials
Ceramic, Majolica, Pottery
French Majolica Leaves & Yellow Flowers Plate Clairefontaine, circa 1890
Located in Austin, TX
French Majolica leaves and yellow flowers plate Clairefontaine, circa 1890.
Category
1890s French Rustic Antique Majolica Furniture
Materials
Ceramic, Faience, Majolica
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
18th Century Italian Majolica Albarello Drug Jar by Jacques Boselly
By Jacques Boselly 1
Located in Milano, MI
A Neoclassical late 18th century polychrome decorated drug jar or Albarello signed by the Italian Savonese artist Boselli Giacomo 1744-1808, a rare blue, yellow and polychrome majolica antique vase for collectors.
The Italian Albarello...
Category
Late 18th Century European Neoclassical Antique Majolica Furniture
Materials
Majolica
Set of Glazed Ceramic Corn on the Cob Glasses and Pitcher, France, 1960s
Located in Barcelona, ES
Eye-catching Majolica glazed ceramic corn on the cob jug and tumbler set of four. France, 1960s.
The set is comprised by a large ceramic jug with co...
Category
Mid-20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Majolica Furniture
Materials
Majolica, Pottery, Ceramic
Antique Majolica Heron Crane Stork Bird Water Lily Creamer Pitcher Jug 7"
Located in Dayton, OH
Antique Majolica Heron / Crane / Stork creamer pitcher / jug featuring the bird eating a fish on a water lily pad.
Dimensions:
5.25" x 4.25" x 7" (Width x Depth x Height)
Category
Late 19th Century Victorian Antique Majolica Furniture
Materials
Majolica
$200 Sale Price
20% Off
Vallauris Majolica Ceramic Wall Plate Trompe L'oeil Seafood Design
By Vallauris
Located in Barcelona, ES
Eye-catching Majolica glazed ceramic trompe l'oeil black small wall plate attributed to Vallauris. France, 1960s.
This plate has a black background a...
Category
Mid-20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Majolica Furniture
Materials
Majolica, Pottery, 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
Set of Six Majolica Glazed Asparagus Serving Plates
Located in LA CIOTAT, FR
A charming set of six earthenware hand-painted square asparagus plates, with a pair of Majolica glazed asparagus tips at each of the four corners. In between, sprays of polychrome fl...
Category
Early 1900s French Country Antique Majolica Furniture
Materials
Majolica, Porcelain
Glazed Ceramic Majolica Coffee or Tea Cups Orange Design, Set of Six
Located in Barcelona, ES
Coffee or tea set of cups orange design, Spain, 1960s.
Cool set of hand-painted orange glazed ceramic cups.
Manufactured at the Mid-Century Modern Period.
This set will be a nice...
Category
20th Century Spanish Mid-Century Modern Majolica Furniture
Materials
Ceramic, Majolica, Pottery
$1,248 Sale Price / set
20% Off
Large Oval Majolica Palissy Fish Platter Vallauris, circa 1950
By Vallauris
Located in Austin, TX
French val Majolica Palissy wall platter Vallauris, circa 1950.
2 fishes , tomato ,oyster, seaweeds
From Provence.
Length / 11.8 by 8.5 inches, height / 2.3 inches.
Category
1950s French Mid-Century Modern Vintage Majolica Furniture
Materials
Ceramic, Faience, Majolica
Rare Large Majolica Hen Jardinière Luneville, circa 1890
By Luneville
Located in Austin, TX
Rare large Majolica Hen jardinière attributed to Luneville, circa 1890.
Category
1890s French Country Antique Majolica Furniture
Materials
Ceramic, Faience, Majolica
Handcrafted Contemporary 8 Ceramic Breakfast Egg Plates Majolica by Lorenzo
Located in Queretaro, Queretaro
Enhance your space with this elegant ceramic egg plate by Mexican artist Lorenzo Lorenzzo. Handcrafted in San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato, this versatile piece features a refined e...
Category
2010s Mexican Modern Majolica Furniture
Materials
Majolica
$520 Sale Price / set
20% Off
French Plate with Orchid Hippolyte Boulenger Choisy le Roi, circa 1890
Located in Austin, TX
French plate with orchid signed Hippolyte Boulenger Choisy le Roi, circa 1890.
The manufacture of Choisy le Roi was one of the most important manufactures at the end of 19th century...
Category
1890s French Country Antique Majolica Furniture
Materials
Ceramic, Faience, Majolica
French Majolica Pears Pitcher Orchies, circa 1890
By Orchies
Located in Austin, TX
French Majolica pitcher with pears Orchies, circa 1890.
Category
1890s French Country Antique 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
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 Furniture
Materials
Majolica
Fratelli Fanciullacci Majolica Bowl, Donkey with Cart, Italy Mid Century
Located in Clifton Springs, NY
Charming, unusual bowl depicts a donkey wearing pink baseball hat and pulling a cart. The piece features elaborate decor on the cart with applied wheels and decorative rims; the donk...
Category
20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Majolica Furniture
Materials
Ceramic, Majolica, Pottery
$196 Sale Price
20% Off
French Green Majolica Deers Plate Sarreguemines, circa 1920
Located in Austin, TX
French green Majolica deers plate signed Sarreguemines, circa 1920.
Category
1920s French Country Vintage Majolica Furniture
Materials
Ceramic, Faience, 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.
Recently Viewed
View AllMore Ways To Browse
Antique Furniture Restoration
Antique Renaissance Furniture
Ancient Roman
Antique Flower Patterns
Antique Fairings
Antique Folding Furniture
Antique Brown Glaze
Antique Cut Glass
Antique Unusual
Antique Plinth
19th Century Gold Frames
Antique French Empire Furniture
Antique Linens
Antique Hand Iron
American Masterpiece
Antique Hand Colored Prints
Acanthus Leaves
Antique Red Painted Furniture