A look at the design, market and legacy of Victorian pottery

Thursday, August 5, 2010

Japonisme: Fabulous Fans Pt. 1, Fielding and Company's "Fan"


Fielding majolica Fan tea set

One of the most interesting potteries to explore the designs of the Orient in Stoke-On-Trent is Fielding and Company. It's known that the company began majolica production around 1879 but did not register their first Fan pattern until 1881. 
It is really with the pattern we call Fan and Scroll that the company made their biggest mark on Fan majolica. The company made additional Asian inspired patterns that were considered complimentary to these such as Fan and Insect and  Bird and Insect.




Fan and Scroll was an odd mix of several Asian motifs: the scroll, fans both folding and rigid, the insect, Prunus blossoms, the crane, the Japanese junk, conventionalized flowers and butterflies, all on a pebbled background. The pattern proved to be such a success that it spawned copies. The company tried to sue others that infringed on their registered design but wasn't successful.

The pattern is beautiful and exotic and easily found. It is seen with grounds in ivory, yellow, turquoise and very rarely cobalt. Those with an ivory ground are considered to be "argenta" wares.

Fielding Fan majolica umbrella stand

Fielding majolica Fan basket

Fielding Fan ice cream platter

Fielding Fan sardine box

Fielding majolica Fan plate

Fielding Fan majolica butter pat

Fielding Fan majolica platter

Fielding majolica Fan cake tray

Fielding Fan majolica cheese bell

Fielding majolica Fan relish dish

Fielding majolica Fan side plate

One of the most beautiful and unusual of all oyster plates was also made in this pattern.


Fielding Fan majolica oyster plate

Fielding has always been a very collectible and reasonably priced majolica pottery. Individual plates can be purchased for usually around $50, platters around $225. Teapots and pitchers will sell in the $250-$350 range. Rarer pieces like the butter pat will sell for $125-$175 while the most valuable pieces like the oyster plate selling upwards of $750.


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