European Copies of English Majolica Designs

Despite copyright protections afforded by the English registration system, the copying of majolica designs was rampant both within England and the United States. Nowhere, however, was this copying more prevalent than in Europe. 

Well known designs by major English manufacturers were frequently stolen by faience potteries in France and Belgium. The coloration was different and the craftsmanship was usually not as good but the designs were often identical or just a tiny bit different. Take a look at these pitchers from Mouzin Lecat et Cie, Nimy followed by their English counterparts.

Nimy majolica Pichet Nid

Majolica jug, copy of a design registered by George Ra

Nimy Choette pitcher after Shorter & Boulton

Shorter & Boulton cockatoo jug

Nimy Pichet Poisson, a copy of an English design

English majolica fish pitcher

Nimy Pichet Rotins majolica pitcher

Wedgwood Argenta majolica St. Louis jug

 Nimy Pichet Carpe, copy of a design made by Shorter & Boulton

Adams & Bromley majolica leaping fish.

Nimy Pichet Cigognes, a copy of a Samuel Lear registered design

Samuel Lear majolica crane jug

Nimy Pichet Personnages, a copy of a Minton design

Minton majolica Selinus wine jug

Nimy Pichet Floral majolica pitcher

Wedgwood majolica Chrysanthemum creamer

Nimy Pichet Feuilles majolica pitcher

Minton majolica leaves jug

Nimy Pichet Raisins majolica pitcher

Brown-Westhead Moore majolica grape jug

Nimy Pichet Escargot majolica pitcher, a copy of a Fielding design

Fielding majolica Shell pitcher

Nimy  Pichet Tonneau, a copy of a Royal Worcester jug

Royal Worcester majolica creamer

Of course other French and Belgian companies "borrowed" designs from the English. The first is the French copy followed by the English original.

Nimy majolica Pichet Ruche 

Brown-Westhead Moore fox and sour grapes jug

So far we’ve only shown pitchers, but other things were copied too such as this overlapping leaf plate by Copeland and this leaf and fern plate by Roth. The leaf and fern design was also copied by Choisy Le Roi and Villeroy & Boch.

Copeland majolica plate

Nimy majolica plate

Joseph Roth majolica plate

Nimy Cache-pot Fougères

Minton majolica chestnut server

The two major Swedish potteries, Gustafsberg and Rorstrand also copied English pieces. Gustafsberg copied the Minton cat pitcher while both Rorstrand and Gustafsberg copied the Wedgwood grape and strawberry plate. Rorstrand also copied Wedgwood's fish tray and their bamboo basket.

Gustavesberg majolica cat pitcher

Minton majolica cat pitche

Gustavsberg majolica grape plate

Rörstrand majolica grape and strawberry plate

Wedgwood majolica grape and strawberry plate

Wedgwood majolica basket

German manufacturer Lonitz made not one but TWO copies of Minton's fox and hare terrine, both with different lids. Shown first is the Minton terrine followed by the two Lonitz versions.

Minton majolica game terrine

Lonitz majolica game terrine

Lonitz majolica game terrine

There are other examples of course, such as Gustavsberg's copy of Wedgwood's Water and Wine Ewers (shown below) , that we haven't been able to find photo examples of but it's clear that England's majolica pottery proved to be enormously influential in the development of majolica pottery throughout 19th Century Europe. And why shouldn't they? They invented Victorian majolica!