Presidential Majolica

In honor of President's day I thought I'd highlight some presidential connections to majolica.

Presidents Garfield, Washington and Lincoln have all appeared on English majolica pieces made for the American market. The most famous of these is probably the Wedgwood Centennial pitcher.

Wedgwood majolica Presidents Jug

Wedgwood majolica Presidents Jug

Wedgwood made a number of pieces featuring American presidents in various bodies including a Black Basalt ceramic bust of Lincoln, but the only piece I know of made in majolica is the Washington/Lincoln Centennial pitcher. Featuring a cameo portrait of Washington on the one side and a portrait of Lincoln on the other, the pitcher was potted in 1876 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the United States' independence from Great Britain. Most likely created for the 1876 World's Fair in Philadelphia it was made in a number of different color combinations including cobalt and Argenta.

Other companies made presidential majolica too. This Copeland piece was also created for the Centennial celebration. It features Washington on the one side and the crossed flags of the United States on the reverse.

When President Garfield was assassinated in office in 1881 it inspired a number of majolica memorial pieces including the Wardle pitcher below.

Wardle President Garfield memorial pitcher

There was also a large majolica memorial plaque made for President Garfield.

Garfield memorial plaque

An unknown potter created this presidential pitcher below. There is some dispute as to whether this is a Garfield memorial pitcher or a portrait of Ulysses Grant, though it looks like Garfield to me. The only thing that is agreed on is that it is definitely a US president. 

One of the more unusual Presidential majolica items I've seen is this unmarked majolica William McKinley jug with McKinley posed as Napoleon. It is based on porcelain campaign jug made by Morris & Willmore.

President McKinley posed as Napoleon

A German company made a tray in the 1890's commemorating Lincoln’s first Vice President, Hannibal Hamlin    

Portrait tray of Hannibal Hamlin

Another piece from Germany done in the intaglio style is this plate of Grover Cleveland.

Grover Cleveland plate

Numerous tile companies, both American and English, made tiles with Presidential images, all in the majolica intaglio process. There was even one with Martha Washington!

George Washington tile by Beaver Falls, Pa. Tile Co.

George Washington tile by Beaver Falls, Pa. Tile Co.

Ulysses S. Grant by A.E.T. Tile Co.

Benjamin Harrison by C. Pardee Works, c 1888

Benjamin Harrison tile 

Garrett Hobart, Vice Presidential candidate, c.1888

Grover Cleveland, J.G. & J.F. Low Art Tile Works, 1885

Grover Cleveland tile, C. Pardee Works, c.1888

William McKinley tile, American Encaustic Tiling Co., 1896

Theodore Roosevelt tile, Barratt Tile Co.1916

Woodrow Wilson tile, Barratt Tile Co, 1916

Martha Washington by Beaver Falls Tile Co., Pa.

Majolica with presidential connections would include this service of oyster plates of 1880 Haviland porcelain with a majolica glaze from President Rutherford B. Hayes' time in the White House.

Also, in the White House Lincoln bedroom sits a wonderful Brown, Westhead Moore passion flower jardinière. Whether this actually has a presidential provenance or not, it is entirely appropriate to the period setting.

Lincoln bedroom Photo: c.2005

Brown-Westhead Moore majolica passion flower jardiniere

This majolica jug by Peters & Reed of Zanesville, Ohio bears the likeness of President Lincoln on one side and President Washington on the other.

Peters & Reed Lincoln/Washington jug

This unusual toby jug of President McKinley was made by the Bennett Pottery of Baltimore to commemorate the 1885 McKinley tariff which attempted to make American pottery competitive with inexpensive imported goods. McKinley is sitting on a stack of money holding the 'McKinley Bill" with McKinley's campaign slogan "Protection" and "Prosperity" on either side of the base. It was a copy of an unmarked porcelain jug. Unfortunately it all was for naught with the passing of the Wilson-Gorman Tariff act nine years later which removed all tariffs from imported pottery and effectively sounded the death knell for American pottery manufacturers .

Bennett Pottery majolica McKinley toby jug

Bennett Pottery McKinley toby jug

Finally, we have two pieces of ironstone with a presidential portrait and its own majolica connection.

This campaign piece featuring President William McKinley was made by the Chester Pottery, the former Etruscan Works of Phoenixville, Pennsylvania, in two shapes. One shape was the same as that used on the Etruscan Baseball jug.

This blog post has been edited since it was originally posted.