Skip to main content

Majolica Furniture

to
108
1,074
618
1,586
134
7
274
221
154
63
53
27
24
17
13
10
4
2
2
1
1
39
851
696
141
255
304
31
115
13
41
38
10
68
26
7
9
4
1,730
367,744
305,065
215,425
154,816
1,566
780
359
183
165
1,727
1,659
1,702
78
61
61
60
54
Material: Majolica
Large Decorative Ceramic Plate Gray Green Mother Pearl Platter Dish Hand Made
Large Decorative Ceramic Plate Gray Green Mother Pearl Platter Dish Hand Made

Large Decorative Ceramic Plate Gray Green Mother Pearl Platter Dish Hand Made

By deBlona

Located in Recanati, IT

Large white earthenware dish made in one piece by artist G.Mengoni. The plate was made by the pressure technique and then hand-embossed by the artist. The 'abborchiato' technique is ...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Majolica Furniture

Materials

Ceramic, Luster, Majolica

Antique Onnaing Majolica Love Birds Parakeets Jardiniere Cachepot, Circa 1880
Antique Onnaing Majolica Love Birds Parakeets Jardiniere Cachepot, Circa 1880

Antique Onnaing Majolica Love Birds Parakeets Jardiniere Cachepot, Circa 1880

By Onnaing

Located in Pearland, TX

A gorgeous antique French Onnaing majolica barbotine love birds parakeets cachepot / jardiniere / planter, circa 1880. Maker's mark on reverse. This fine jardiniere is a nice large s...

Category

Late 19th Century French French Provincial Antique Majolica Furniture

Materials

Ceramic, Majolica

French Majolica Frog Pitcher Fives Lille, circa 1890
French Majolica Frog Pitcher Fives Lille, circa 1890

French Majolica Frog Pitcher Fives Lille, circa 1890

By Fives-Lille

Located in Austin, TX

Unusual Majolica frog pitcher wearing a brown jacket signed Fives Lille, circa 1890.

Category

1890s French French Provincial Antique Majolica Furniture

Materials

Ceramic, Faience, Majolica

Majolica Lily Flower Vase Jerome Massier, circa 1900
Majolica Lily Flower Vase Jerome Massier, circa 1900

Majolica Lily Flower Vase Jerome Massier, circa 1900

By Jerome Massier

Located in Austin, TX

Rare Majolica Lily vase Jerome Massier, circa 1900. The Massier family are known for the quality of their unique enamels and paintings. They produced an ...

Category

Early 1900s French Art Nouveau Antique Majolica Furniture

Materials

Ceramic, Faience, Majolica

Large Italian Majolica Tang Horse
Large Italian Majolica Tang Horse

Large Italian Majolica Tang Horse

By Ugo Zaccagnini

Located in Kilmarnock, VA

An extraordinary Italian Tang-style horse, arguably the most striking example I’ve had the pleasure to own. Monumental in scale and presence, it’s finished in a richly colored majoli...

Category

1950s Italian Tang Vintage Majolica Furniture

Materials

Earthenware, Majolica

Oversized Glazed Ceramic Gurgle Fish Jug Vase Tall Pitcher, France 1950
Oversized Glazed Ceramic Gurgle Fish Jug Vase Tall Pitcher, France 1950

Oversized Glazed Ceramic Gurgle Fish Jug Vase Tall Pitcher, France 1950

By Vallauris

Located in Barcelona, ES

Oversized Mid-Century Modernist glazed ceramic gurgling fish water jug / pitcher. France, 1950s-1960s Manufactured by Vallauris Ceramics. Eye-catching large green Majolica ceramic va...

Category

20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Majolica Furniture

Materials

Ceramic, Majolica, Pottery

Blue Butterflies Vase, Vessel Glazed Ceramic, Majolica Ornament, Handmade Italy
Blue Butterflies Vase, Vessel Glazed Ceramic, Majolica Ornament, Handmade Italy

Blue Butterflies Vase, Vessel Glazed Ceramic, Majolica Ornament, Handmade 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, Majolica

19th Century Majolica Palissy Lizard Wall Platter Thomas Sergent
19th Century Majolica Palissy Lizard Wall Platter Thomas Sergent

19th Century Majolica Palissy Lizard Wall Platter Thomas Sergent

By Thomas Victor Sergent

Located in Austin, TX

Small Palissy lizard wall platter signed Thomas-Victor Sergent, circa 1890. 8 by 5 inches. On a dark blue background the green lizard is stand on brown rocks surrounded by green vege...

Category

1880s French Victorian Antique Majolica Furniture

Materials

Majolica, Ceramic

Glazed Ceramic Gurgle Fish Jug Pitcher by Vallauris, 1950s
Glazed Ceramic Gurgle Fish Jug Pitcher by Vallauris, 1950s

Glazed Ceramic Gurgle Fish Jug Pitcher by Vallauris, 1950s

By Vallauris

Located in Barcelona, ES

Oversized Mid-Century Modernist glazed ceramic gurgling fish water jug / pitcher. Manufactured by Vallauris, France, 1950s Eye-catching hand painted brown, orange and blue-green large Majolica ceramic vase, fish glug jug...

Category

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

Materials

Majolica, Ceramic

Majolica Palissy Fish Jardiniere School of Paris, circa 1880
Majolica Palissy Fish Jardiniere School of Paris, circa 1880

Majolica Palissy Fish Jardiniere School of Paris, circa 1880

Located in Austin, TX

19th century Palissy footed wood box jardiniere School of Paris. A large spotted fish on the front of the jardiniere surrounded by leaves and white dai...

Category

1880s French Country Antique Majolica Furniture

Materials

Majolica, Ceramic, Faience

19th Century Majolica Palissy Fishs Platter Leaf Battaglia Varages
19th Century Majolica Palissy Fishs Platter Leaf Battaglia Varages

19th Century Majolica Palissy Fishs Platter Leaf Battaglia Varages

Located in Austin, TX

19th Century Majolica Palissy Fishs Platter Leaf signed Battaglia Varages ( Var )

Category

1880s French Rustic Antique Majolica Furniture

Materials

Ceramic, Faience, Majolica

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

19th Century Majolica Pink & 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

Pair of 19th Century French Barbotine Majolica Jardinières with Bird and Foliage
Pair of 19th Century French Barbotine Majolica Jardinières with Bird and Foliage

Pair of 19th Century French Barbotine Majolica Jardinières with Bird and Foliage

By Joseph L'hermine-Declercq

Located in Dallas, TX

This colorful pair of antique Barbotine majolica jardinières brings the richness and whimsy of the natural world into an interior. Crafted in Orchies in Northern France circa 1890, t...

Category

Late 19th Century French Antique Majolica Furniture

Materials

Ceramic, Majolica

Rare 19th Century Majolica Strawberries Wall Platter Longchamp
Rare 19th Century Majolica Strawberries Wall Platter Longchamp

Rare 19th Century Majolica Strawberries Wall Platter Longchamp

By Longchamp

Located in Austin, TX

Rare Colorful 19th century French Majolica strawberries wall platter signed Longchamp terre de fer. The fruits are in high relief with the leaves and branches. Diameter / 11.5 inches...

Category

1890s French Country Antique Majolica Furniture

Materials

Ceramic, Faience, Majolica

Spanish Bull Shaped Glazed Ceramic Pitcher
Spanish Bull Shaped Glazed Ceramic Pitcher

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 Furniture

Materials

Ceramic, Majolica

French Majolica Leaves Plate Clairefontaine, circa 1890
French Majolica Leaves Plate Clairefontaine, circa 1890

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 Majolica Rooster Jardinière Delphin Massier, circa 1890
Rare Majolica Rooster Jardinière Delphin Massier, circa 1890

Rare Majolica Rooster Jardinière Delphin Massier, circa 1890

By Delphin Massier

Located in Austin, TX

Rare Majolica rooster jardinière signed Delphin Massier, circa 1890. Country, Rustic style. Beautiful colors. Reference / A similar example of this piece page 93 "Barbotines de la Co...

Category

1890s French Country Antique Majolica Furniture

Materials

Majolica, Ceramic

Jasba Aztec Exotica Set of 3 Vases, West German Pottery 1960s
Jasba Aztec Exotica Set of 3 Vases, West German Pottery 1960s

Jasba Aztec Exotica Set of 3 Vases, West German Pottery 1960s

By West German Pottery, Jasba Keramik, Jasba

Located in Clifton Springs, NY

The set of 3 vintage Jasba Keramik vases from the 'Aztec' and 'Mexiko' or 'Maya Tiki' lines of their Exotica series features relief decor, influenced by ancient Pre-Columbian civilizations. The sculptural vases in the set interpret traditional vessel forms like a pitcher in a contemporary vein while referencing Pre-Columbian art with an eclectic twist. The vases are decorated with tone-on-tone ochre brown matte glazes on the outer surfaces and semi-matte black glazes on inner surfaces, allowing the complex reliefs to dominate the composition. The vases feature a central wide band of brutalist, rhythmically spaced mythic animals, derived from archaeology or from a wide range of Folk Art sources. The handles are interpreted not as functional parts of the design, but as an important aesthetic feature that was commonly used by West German pottery designers and artists in context of Krug Vase (Jug Vase, or Handled Vase) for their expressive possibilities. In this set, the small handles on two Aztec vases...

Category

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

Materials

Ceramic, Majolica, Pottery

Set of Six Saint Clément Majolica Fruit Dessert Plates, Circa 1900
Set of Six Saint Clément Majolica Fruit Dessert Plates, Circa 1900

Set of Six Saint Clément Majolica Fruit Dessert Plates, Circa 1900

By Saint-Clément

Located in LA CIOTAT, FR

This charming set of six French majolica dessert plates was produced by the renowned Saint-Clément faience manufactory in Lorraine, France, and dates to circa 1900. Each plate is ind...

Category

Early 1900s French Antique Majolica Furniture

Materials

Majolica, Faience

Spanish Circular Wall Mirror in Red Glazed Ceramic, 1960
Spanish Circular Wall Mirror in Red Glazed Ceramic, 1960

Spanish Circular Wall Mirror in Red Glazed Ceramic, 1960

Located in Barcelona, ES

Spanish Red Ceramic Tiles Framed Mirror Eye-catching ceramic round wall mirror. Maufactured in Spain, 1960s. Circular shape and large glass mirror surface. The frame is made of large...

Category

20th Century Spanish Mid-Century Modern Majolica Furniture

Materials

Ceramic, Majolica, Pottery

19th Century Majolica Grapes Wall Platter Longchamp
19th Century Majolica Grapes Wall Platter Longchamp

19th Century Majolica Grapes Wall Platter Longchamp

By Longchamp

Located in Austin, TX

Colorful 19th century French Majolica grapes wall platter signed Longchamp terre de fer. The fruits are in high relief with the leaves and branches. The ma...

Category

1880s French Country Antique Majolica Furniture

Materials

Majolica, Ceramic, Faience

19th Century French Flowers Majolica Vase Theodore Lefront
19th Century French Flowers Majolica Vase Theodore Lefront

19th Century French Flowers Majolica Vase Theodore Lefront

Located in Austin, TX

19th Century French Flowers Majolica Vase Theodore Lefront. Height / 6.2 inches . Diameter / 3.5 inches.

Category

1880s French Country Antique Majolica Furniture

Materials

Majolica, Ceramic, Faience

Antique Belgian Wasmuel Majolica Bird With Cherries Plate, Circa 1890
Antique Belgian Wasmuel Majolica Bird With Cherries Plate, Circa 1890

Antique Belgian Wasmuel Majolica Bird With Cherries Plate, Circa 1890

By Wasmuel Majolica

Located in Pearland, TX

A gorgeous antique Belgian majolica crested bird in a cherry tree plate, Wasmuel, circa 1890. This lovely hand painted plate has brilliant vibrant colors and exquisite detail. DIMEN...

Category

Late 19th Century Belgian Antique Majolica Furniture

Materials

Majolica

Figural Majolica Erphila Dachshund Dog Teapot c.1920-1940 Made in Germany
Figural Majolica Erphila Dachshund Dog Teapot c.1920-1940 Made in Germany

Figural Majolica Erphila Dachshund Dog Teapot c.1920-1940 Made in Germany

Located in San Juan Capistrano, CA

Whimsical German Erphila Figural Daschund Teapot. Has typical crazing to the high gloss finish, no chips, cracks or repairs.

Category

20th Century German Art Deco Majolica Furniture

Materials

Majolica, Pottery

Vintage Majolica Lamb, Cabbage, and Vegetables Tureen, Italy Hand-painted
Vintage Majolica Lamb, Cabbage, and Vegetables Tureen, Italy Hand-painted

Vintage Majolica Lamb, Cabbage, and Vegetables Tureen, Italy Hand-painted

By Bitossi, Mancioli Pottery, Fratelli Fanciullacci

Located in Clifton Springs, NY

Playful vintage large Italian majolica tureen comes in a set of three with the bowl, lid, and ladle. Delicate, porcelain-like bowl and lid are shaped as a lamb wrapped in cabbage and...

Category

20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Majolica Furniture

Materials

Ceramic, Majolica, Porcelain

French Pottery Majolica Rabbit Pâté Tureen circa 1950
French Pottery Majolica Rabbit Pâté Tureen circa 1950

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 Furniture

Materials

Ceramic, Faience, Majolica, Pottery

Brutalist Tree Trunk Ceramic Pitcher and Set of Six Drinking Cups, circa 1950
Brutalist Tree Trunk Ceramic Pitcher and Set of Six Drinking Cups, circa 1950

Brutalist Tree Trunk Ceramic Pitcher and Set of Six Drinking Cups, circa 1950

Located in Barcelona, ES

Set of Brutalist Tree Trunk Ceramic Jug and Six Cups, France, 1950s. Rare multicolor handpainted water / sangria / juice drinking set of six cups and large jug with tree trunk desig...

Category

Mid-20th Century French Brutalist Majolica Furniture

Materials

Ceramic, Majolica, Pottery

Cute Petite Jaguar Cub Terracotta Decoration Figure, Italy 1960s
Cute Petite Jaguar Cub Terracotta Decoration Figure, Italy 1960s

Cute Petite Jaguar Cub Terracotta Decoration Figure, Italy 1960s

By Marioni

Located in Nuernberg, DE

An enchanting terracotta sculpture of a Jaguar Cub, attributed to the renowned Marioni manufactory in Florence. Marioni is celebrated for its distinctive decorative ceramics and exqu...

Category

1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Majolica Furniture

Materials

Majolica, Terracotta

Strawberry Shaped Majolica Ceramic Tureen by Bordalo Pinheiro
Strawberry Shaped Majolica Ceramic Tureen by Bordalo Pinheiro

Strawberry Shaped Majolica Ceramic Tureen by Bordalo Pinheiro

By Rafael Bordalo Pinheiro

Located in Barcelona, ES

Eye-catching Majolica ceramic white and green strawberry shaped tureen. Manufactured by Bordalo Pinheiro, Portugal, 1960s. This cute tureen has a very realistic design with leaves on the top. A leaf shaped serving plate and a small serving spoon complete the set. This highly decorative serving piece will be a nice addition to any kitchen or dining table. It will be a cool choice used as sauce tureen. Excellent condition. On sale as a set of three pieces, strawberry tureen...

Category

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

Materials

Majolica, Pottery, Ceramic

Pair of Majolica Flowers & Leaves Cache Pots Luneville Circa 1890
Pair of Majolica Flowers & Leaves Cache Pots Luneville Circa 1890

Pair of Majolica Flowers & Leaves Cache Pots Luneville Circa 1890

Located in Austin, TX

Pair of Majolica Flowers & Leaves signed Luneville Cache Pots Circa 1890, H / 7 inches , D / 9 inches by 7 inches.

Category

1890s French Art Nouveau Antique Majolica Furniture

Materials

Ceramic, Majolica

Italian Pair Pierced Majolica Lamps Urn Shaped w/Filigree Bases by Cantagalli
Italian Pair Pierced Majolica Lamps Urn Shaped w/Filigree Bases by Cantagalli

Italian Pair Pierced Majolica Lamps Urn Shaped w/Filigree Bases by Cantagalli

By Cantagalli

Located in Topeka, KS

Marvelous vintage Italian pair of table lamps composed of pierced majolica urn shaped bodies with hand painted green leaves & gilded tips, brass & brass plated combination fi...

Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Hollywood Regency Majolica Furniture

Materials

Metal, Brass

Contemporary Blue Butterflies Hand Painted Mother of Pearl Luster Ceramic Vase
Contemporary Blue Butterflies Hand Painted Mother of Pearl Luster Ceramic Vase

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 Furniture

Materials

Ceramic, Clay, Majolica

Pair of Bitossi Majolica Large Urn Table Lamps, Flower Decor
Pair of Bitossi Majolica Large Urn Table Lamps, Flower Decor

Pair of Bitossi Majolica Large Urn Table Lamps, Flower Decor

By Aldo Londi, Bitossi

Located in Clifton Springs, NY

Rare and unusual pair of monumental ceramic lamps with abstract sgraffito decor was made by Bitossi Ceramiche; the pattern is very similar in style to pieces that were designed for ...

Category

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

Materials

Brass

19th Century Majolica Palissy Snake Wall Platter
19th Century Majolica Palissy Snake Wall Platter

19th Century Majolica Palissy Snake Wall Platter

By Thomas Victor Sergent

Located in Austin, TX

19th Century Majolica Palissy Snake Wall Platter On a blue background, a snake on the center decorated with a lizard,yellow butterflies , a bug ,oak leaves and ferns.. H / 4.6 inche...

Category

1880s French Victorian Antique Majolica Furniture

Materials

Majolica, Ceramic

Set of 3 Majolica and Porcelain plates, France, 1960
Set of 3 Majolica and Porcelain plates, France, 1960

Set of 3 Majolica and Porcelain plates, France, 1960

Located in Auribeau sur Siagne, FR

A charming set of three French majolica (barbotine) plates dating from the 1960s, decorated with raised floral motifs. Two cabbage-shaped plates feature a naturalistic design with de...

Category

1960s French French Provincial Vintage Majolica Furniture

Materials

Porcelain, Majolica

Blue Vase Vessel Hand Painted Two-handled Amphora Renaissance Italian Ceramic
Blue Vase Vessel Hand Painted Two-handled Amphora Renaissance Italian Ceramic

Blue Vase Vessel Hand Painted Two-handled Amphora Renaissance Italian Ceramic

By deBlona

Located in Recanati, IT

Majolica amphora made and painted by hand, following the original Renaissance painting technique. This sumptuous vase is characterized by the elegant presence of naturalistic ornamen...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Renaissance Majolica Furniture

Materials

Ceramic, Majolica

Vallauris Majolica Orange Brown Ceramic Fat Lava Pitcher , 1950s
Vallauris Majolica Orange Brown Ceramic Fat Lava Pitcher , 1950s

Vallauris Majolica Orange Brown Ceramic Fat Lava Pitcher , 1950s

By Vallauris

Located in Barcelona, ES

Mid-Century Modern Orange Beige and Brown Glazed Ceramic Jug Vase by Vallauris. France, 1950s-1960s. Beautiful pitcher vase or vessel with scalloped design. The exterior part is cove...

Category

20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Majolica Furniture

Materials

Ceramic, Majolica, Pottery

Hand-Painted Italian Majolica Vase from Orvieto, Signed “NP”, 1960s
Hand-Painted Italian Majolica Vase from Orvieto, Signed “NP”, 1960s

Hand-Painted Italian Majolica Vase from Orvieto, Signed “NP”, 1960s

Located in Brescia, Brescia

A beautifully hand-painted majolica amphora from Orvieto, dating to the 1960s and signed “NP / Orvieto” on the underside. Richly decorated with vibrant arabesque motifs and warm, sat...

Category

1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Majolica Furniture

Materials

Ceramic, Majolica

19th Century French Painted Ceramic Barbotine Floral Jardinière Planter
19th Century French Painted Ceramic Barbotine Floral Jardinière Planter

19th Century French Painted Ceramic Barbotine Floral Jardinière Planter

Located in Dallas, TX

This charming antique French jardinière, crafted circa 1880, exemplifies the exuberant decorative style of late 19th century barbotine earthenware, also commonly referred to as Frenc...

Category

Late 19th Century French Antique Majolica Furniture

Materials

Ceramic, Faience, Majolica

Early 20th Century Italian Majolica Urn
Early 20th Century Italian Majolica Urn

Early 20th Century Italian Majolica Urn

Located in Houston, TX

Early 20th century Italian majolica urn. This gorgeous Italian majolica or maiolica urn or jardiniere is hand decorated with serpents, dolphins an...

Category

Early 20th Century Italian Neoclassical Majolica Furniture

Materials

Ceramic, Maiolica, Majolica

Portuguese Majolica soup tureens owned by fashion legend André Leon Talley
Portuguese Majolica soup tureens owned by fashion legend André Leon Talley

Portuguese Majolica soup tureens owned by fashion legend André Leon Talley

Located in Scottsdale, AZ

Pair of vintage Portuguese Majolica soup tureens, owned by legendary fashion icon André Leon Talley. These hen tureens have egg-shaped ladles with lil' chick forms. Hand-crafted in P...

Category

20th Century Portuguese Majolica Furniture

Materials

Ceramic, Majolica

19th Century Large Majolica Rooster with Bamboo Vase Delphin Massier
19th Century Large Majolica Rooster with Bamboo Vase Delphin Massier

19th Century Large Majolica Rooster with Bamboo Vase Delphin Massier

By Delphin Massier

Located in Austin, TX

Large Majolica colorful rooster signed Delphin Massier circa 1890. On the back of the rooster, a rare brown bamboo vase, usually the vase is a trunk.

Category

1890s French Victorian Antique Majolica Furniture

Materials

Majolica

A Green Majolica Fish Saucer by Sarreguemines, Mid 20th Century
A Green Majolica Fish Saucer by Sarreguemines, Mid 20th Century

A Green Majolica Fish Saucer by Sarreguemines, Mid 20th Century

By Sarreguemines

Located in ARMADALE, VIC

A Green Majolica Fish Saucer by Sarreguemines, Circa 1930 Provenance: Private Australian Collection. Dimensions: Height: 12cm. Width: 24.5cm. Depth: 9cm.

Category

1930s French Art Deco Vintage Majolica Furniture

Materials

Majolica

Aldo Londi for Bitossi Majolica Plate Tray Flower Decor, Italy 1950s-1960s
Aldo Londi for Bitossi Majolica Plate Tray Flower Decor, Italy 1950s-1960s

Aldo Londi for Bitossi Majolica Plate Tray Flower Decor, Italy 1950s-1960s

By Aldo Londi, Bitossi

Located in Clifton Springs, NY

Modernist plate, tray, or shallow bowl features graphic abstract floral decor on green background glaze. The platter is sculpted with rhythmically scalloped edge that adds visual in...

Category

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

Materials

Ceramic, Majolica, Porcelain, Pottery

Small Majolica Palissy Fish Wall Platter Circa 1890
Small Majolica Palissy Fish Wall Platter Circa 1890

Small Majolica Palissy Fish Wall Platter Circa 1890

By Thomas Victor Sergent

Located in Austin, TX

Small 19th Century round Palissy fish platter Thomas Sergent. decorated with a fish on the center ,on the border a snail, a snake, a butterfly , shells and leaves. 4 inches diameter....

Category

1890s French Victorian Antique Majolica Furniture

Materials

Ceramic, 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.