Halloween has its roots in a Gaelic festival celebrated on October 31st called Samhain. The name Halloween itself is a contraction of All Hallows’ Eve which is a reference to All Saint’s Day which is celebrated on November 1st. As far back as pagan times, during All Hallows’ Eve, people dressed in costumes and held ceremonies to connect with departed spirits. In time the celebration took on less religious overtones and became a cultural festival. The candy giving we now associate with the holiday is purely an invention of the early 20th century that has taken off as an integral part of the celebration thanks to corporate interests.
As a celebration originating in the British Isles the festivities came to the United States in the usual way— through immigration. The holiday is celebrated largest in English speaking countries with global countries joining the fun through cultural appropriation.
Of course, considering the wide range of subjects covered by majolica manufacturers, there are bound to be majolica pieces deemed appropriate to the season, even if they were not originally intended to have any connection to it.
The most obvious examples would be subjects we associate with horror today, like skeletons. The Austrians created three majolica humidors of skulls, one smoking a cigar, one wearing a jaunty cap and one sitting on a pile of books.
Austrian skull and books humidor
Majolica skeleton humidor
Another example would be fantastic mythological creatures like dragons, or half human/half animals like satyrs and celaphocentaurs.
Continental majolica dragon jug
Shorter & Boulton majolica dragon handled pitcher
Forester majolica dragon handled jardiniere
Rörstrand majolica vase
Schütz Cilli majolica dragon vase
Royal Worcester majolica vase
Brown-Westhead Moore majolica dragon vase
Brown-Westhead Moore majolica dragon vase
Continental majolica dragon handled vase
Forester majolica dragon umbrella stand
Royal Worcester majolica dragon handled teapot
Royal Worcester majolica dragon handled teapot
Wedgwood majolica Dragon teapot
Wedgwood majolica dragon cup & saucer
Minton majolica Chinoiserie jardiniere
Minton majolica Chinoiserie garden seat
Brown-Westhead Moore dragon vaseWedgwood majolica dragon candelabra Wedgwood majolica dragon handled pitcher
Minton majolica satyr urn
Unattributed majolica satyr jardiniere
Minton majolica mermaid and satyr ewer
Minton majolica satyr ewer
George Jones majolica satyr handled jardiniere
Continental majolica satyr humidor
Wedgwood majolica Doric jug with satyr mask spout
Lonitz satyr center bowl
Continental majolica ephalocentauride pedestal
If your taste runs to creepy crawly things, how about a piece of Palissy.
Palissy plaque by Jose Francisco de Sousa
Europeans have a weakness for fancy dress, like this humidor figure dressed as Satan…
Austrian majolica head humidor
… while Forester created this bizarre satanic pitcher.
Forester majolica satanic pitcher
Minton created the ultimate Halloween accessory—a teapot with a bat finial…
Minton majolica teapot with bat finial
Minton teapot from the top
...while Villeroy & Boch made dessert pieces that included bats.
Villeroy & Boch majolica platter
Villeroy & Boch majolica sun plate
There is a tile depicting the goddess Nyx with bats...
Majolica tile of Nyx
…and this French terra cotta, majolica glazed black cat was made to sit on someone’s roof!
Finally, what would Halloween be without a pumpkin, like this pumpkin tureen from Sarreguemines.
Sarreguemines pumpkin tureen
Sarreguemines majolica pumpkin
Happy Halloween everyone!
