| Minton’s success spawned competition.
George Jones and Joseph Holdcroft, both of whom originally worked
for Minton, established successful factories of their own. Jones’
pottery in particular became popular worldwide. His imaginative modeling
and crisp colorful glazes insured his success from the factory’s
beginning in 1861. Today, a signed piece from George Jones carries
a premium.
Wedgwood, a giant in the ceramic world, did not begin producing
majolica until 1860, nearly 10 years after Minton. Their pieces,
nearly always marked, rank with Minton and Jones in desirability.
Other well-known British potters once producing majolica included
S. Fielding & Co., Brownhill’s Pottery Co., W.T. Copeland
& Sons, and John Adams & Co.
America’s Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia in 1976 provided
the impetus for collecting majolica. By far the best know of the
American manufacturers is Griffen, Smith, and Hill, whose Etruscan
majolica designs depict plant and marine life. Their Shell and Seaweed
pattern, modeled after a Wedgwood design, is delicately molded and
glazed in opalescent shades of pink, grey, and blue, with green
seaweed accents. Dinner services, bowls, humidors, and even cuspidors
were available, but relatively few have survived. Because of its
fragility, it is rare to find undamaged examples of Griffen, Smith,
and Hill’s marine majolica, making it even more desirable.
The majolica craze in America lasted a relatively short time, from
the Centennial in 1876 until around 1900, and there were fewer well
know potteries. George Morley & Co., a firm lasting only from
1884 to 1891, produced gurgling- fish and owl pitchers, usually
unmarked. The Chesapeake Pottery in Baltimore, MD made Clifton,
a pattern featuring blackberries and later other types of fruit
and flowers. This company also made Avalon Faience, a more delicate
design imitating French faience. Most pieces are well marked and
many can be found in antique stores today.
French potters of this period produced remarkably delicate and
well made majolica. Some is well marked; others can be identified
as French by the colors. Interiors of French majolica of the period
tend to be teal blue, deep red or occasionally brown. Sarreguemines,
Luneville, and St. Clement, well established factories, developed
fine majolica rivaling Minton and Wedgwood. Emile Galle, renowned
for his innovative carved cameo glass, worked for a time with St.
Clement to produce majolica.
Many other continental factories (such as Germany’s Villeroy
and Boch) made majolica in its heyday. All is sought by collectors,
although pieces signed Minton, Wedgwood, George Jones and Etrusca
are most highly valued.
Collecting Victorian majolica is fascinating. A single piece can
highlight a corner; a large collection can be a spectacular display
in a cabinet or on shelves. You can assemble a group by background
color, or buy only oyster plates, figural pitchers or humidors.
If your budget is unlimited, you can specialize in signed George
Jones pieces; if it’s tiny, you might start with an unmarked
piece you like with a chip that could be turned to a wall.
Be aware that there are lots of 20th century copies of Victorian
majolica.* Most are lighter and less skillfully colored than the
originals and the price may be a giveaway. If in doubt, buy only
from reputable dealers.
A good book to read is Majolica: A Complete History and Illustrated
Survey, by Karmason and Stacke. The illustrations of rare pieces are
enough to make you want to collect this fanciful colorful, quintessentially
Victorian ware. |
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