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

Wednesday, July 12, 2017

Majolica in the Media: Late Show with Stephen Colbert


Did anyone catch the Andy Serkis interview on the "Late Show with Stephen Colbert?"


Andy, who is best known for being the actor behind such digital motion capture performances as Caesar in the "Planet of the Apes" series and Gollum in "The Lord of the Rings," was wearing a shirt with an applique that bore a striking resemblance to a Minton majolica oyster plate on the sleeve!

Andy Serkis, left
There was no acknowledgment of the peculiar ornament so I haven't the slightest idea why it was on the sleeve. There was nothing else even vaguely similar on the rest of the shirt. My guess is that whoever created the shirt saw an oyster plate and decided to create a patch similar to it. In reality, it was probably not meant to represent a real Minton oyster plate, just a daisy-like ornament but, you never know! The oyster plate inspiration was obvious



Minton oyster plate
In any case, the patch caught my eye and I was curious if anyone else made the association. It was lots of fun seeing it from the perspective of a collector.

Tuesday, July 11, 2017

The Majolica of Joseph Holdcroft and Company

When collectors talk about the top three English majolica potteries they always mention Minton, George Jones and Wedgwood. That these three are considered separate from all the other dozens of potteries is based largely on their quality. The three had a very high standard of design and workmanship that sets them apart from the rest. But there was a fourth large pottery that made fine quality majolica, one that is rarely placed in such illustrious company—Joseph Holdcroft and Company. In spite of their prodigious output Holdcroft never quite makes the cut. Their designs are a little less sophisticated, their glazes a little less vibrant, and their workmanship a lot more variable than the others. This is not to diminish all their work because they made some extraordinary pottery. Their output just seems to lack that little something extra that distinguishes "great" from "very, very good." It's hard to believe, but in the years that I have been doing this blog I have never done a post exclusively on the Holdcroft pottery. That fact alone echoes the general consensus of how Holcroft is considered. It is the pottery equivalent of Rodney Dangerfield. It just doesn't get any respect!

Joseph Holdcroft

Unlike most who worked in the pottery trade, Joseph Holdcroft did not come from poverty. He was the child of an affluent pottery owner, William Holdcroft, who spent most of his education in private schools. Upon graduation from the Wedgwood Institute he joined his father's pottery, the George Street Pottery, where he developed several patents for the manufacture of earthenware. Like George Jones before him, Joseph Holdcroft then worked for Mintons, leaving there around 1865 to open his own concern on St. Martin's Lane in Longton where he specialized in silver luster. About five years later he opened the Sunderland Pottery at Daisy Bank, Longton where he specialized in majolica, Parian and silver luster.
The William Holdcroft George Street pottery in Tunstall

Longton, described as the "center of cheap china" production

The Joseph Holdcroft pottery at Daisy Bank,

Holdcroft mark pit

The company's product was well respected and received good sales during its time. After 1885, the thrust of the company changed and it went from producing high quality original ware to cheaper, poorly potted imitative patterns. The quality of the work suffered for the sake of output and workmanship varied significantly. The company continued production of this cheaper majolica until 1906 when Joseph Holdcroft died. The pottery was then taken over by his son, Thomas who changed the name to Holdcroft Ltd. and added the production of enameled brick. The company continued in operation until around 1930.

It's this long and varied quality production of majolica that is responsible for the tainted reputation of the Holdcroft name today. Whereas their finest majolica is among the best produced, the Holdcroft name on a piece is no guarantee of quality as it is the case of the big three potteries.

Holdcroft design registered 1870

Holdcroft majolica salt

Of Holdcroft's original designs, at least twelve were registered between 1870-1883. Many of their other original designs were produced in prodigious quantities though few were copied by contemporary studios.

Recognizing Holdcroft majolica is not always easy since they didn't always mark their wares. When they did mark it the company marked its wares in one of two ways, either with the initials JH in a circle or the name J. Holdcroft in capital letters in a straight line. A way of recognizing unmarked ware is by the underside glaze. Most commonly the underside of Holdcroft pieces will be glazed a recognizable dull green glaze. Some pieces, particularly plates, can be glazed in a mottled gray, blue and brown combination. Less commonly the undersides were glazed in a solid brown or green and brown mottle.





Another way of recognizing Holdcroft is by the quality of the glazes themselves. Their turquoise glaze is a slightly duller color than that of the turquoise of other companies; their green is a slightly dull gray/green. They tend to favor strange color combinations like turquoise, chartreuse and brown as well as turquoise and brown and cobalt and brown. Their modeling is also not among the finest. Human faces look a little bit odd and animals are usually highly stylized. In general their design sense is rather clumsy from a modern perspective but most of it had decent craftsmanship close to that of the "big three".

Still, the company made some wonderful things... and a few slightly peculiar things.

Holdcroft oyster plate
Holdcroft fox and goose game
Holdcroft squab terrine
Holdcroft majolica fish terrine
Holdcroft majolica apple blossom punch bowl

Holdcroft lily punch bowl

Holdcroft majolica butterfly vase
Holdcroft majolica bamboo vase

Holdcroft pâté terrine
Holdcroft majolica basket

Holdcroft majolica basket


Holdccroft majolica bowl


Holdcroft copy of a George Jones design

Holdcroft majolica bird jardiniere 

Holdcroft peacock feather butter pat

Holdcroft tobacco butter pat
Holdcroft majolica rustic jardiniere 

Holdcroft majolica peacock jardiniere
Holdcroft majolica jardiniere
Holdcroft majolica dog with basket

Holdcroft majolica swan vase

Holdcroft fish plate. A popular design it was expanded to 
cheese bells and jardinieres
Holdcroft majolica hunt jug

Holdcroft majolica shell bowl

Holdcroft majolica malachite shell bowl
Holdcroft majolica shell compote
Holdcroft dolphin compote, made also with different shells

Holdcroft tobacco leaf umbrella stand another popular design.

Holdcroft majolica pomegranate mustache cup and saucer

Holdcroft majolica pomegranate teapot

Holdcroft majolica pomegranate dessert stand

Holdcroft majolica pomegranate cake tray
Holdcroft majolica pomegranate cheese dome

Holdcroft majolica umbrella stand
Stork majolica cane stand

Holdcroft stork umbrella stand

Holdcroft majolica bamboo cane stand

Holdcroft majolica banana leaf umbrella stand 
Holdcroft bird cane stand
Holdcroft majolica ram’s head jardiniere 
Holdcroft bird finial box

Holdcroft majolica lily of the valley platter

Joseph Holdcroft "Eat Thy Bread With Thankfulness" bread tray

Holdcroft majolica salmon fish platter
Holdcroft majolica salmon fish platter
Holdcroft majolica fish plate

Holdcroft majolica pond lily plate
Holdcroft majolica pomegranate plate
Holdcroft majolica Japanese influenced crane plate

Holdcroft majolica crane dessert stand

Holdcroft majolica grape leaf and fern plate

Holdcroft majolica tobacco cake tray
Holdcroft majolica grape leaf plate

Holdcroft majolica grape leaf dessert stand

Holdcroft majolica shell and daisy butter pat
Holdcroft majolica fan and swallow butter pat


Holdcroft "Melon" teapot, registered 1879

Holdcroft  "Rustic" tea service, registered 1877



Holdcroft majolica tea set

Holdcroft boy on coconut teapot

Holdcroft majolica pomegranate tea set

Holdcroft boy on coconut tea set
A Holdcroft registered design from 1877
Holdcroft majolica rustic syrup jug
Holdcroft majolica pomegranate pitcher



Holdcroft majolica pond lily syrup jug
Holdcroft majolica bear with drum pitcher
Holdcroft majolica swallow jug
Holdcroft majolica shell mug

Holdcroft majolica decanter


Rare Holdcroft bird on apple teapot.

Holdcroft majolica putti jardiniere

Holdcroft majolica parrot jardiniere

Holdcroft majolica nesting birds jardiniere

Holdcroft majolica pond lily jardiniere

Holdcroft majolica morning glory jardiniere

Holdcroft majolica jardiniere, a copy of G. Jones

Holdcroft majolica swan jardiniere 
Holdcroft majolica jardiniere 
Holdcroft majolica shell bonbonnière, registered 1880


Holdcroft "Rustic" Stilton cheese stand




Holdcroft pond lily cheese dome
Holdcroft majolica centre

Holdcroft four well oyster plate
Holdcroft six well oyster plate

Holdcroft garden seat

Holdcroft garden seat

Holdcroft majolica gardin seat

Holdcroft handled cake tray
Holdcroft fern and grape leaf handled tray

When collecting Holdcroft, it is easily found but doesn't quite bring the prices of the larger potteries so a fine collection can be assembled at a relatively reasonably rate. You need to be conscious of the craftsmanship when buying because of the large variation in quality made. There are a variety of interesting patterns, like: Rustic, Alligator, Pomegranate, Tobacco Leaf, Pond Lily, and Apple Blossom plus the usual assortment of novelty items. As in other cases, signed examples will command higher prices than those that are not signed.

Joseph Holdcroft