It seems I can’t go online anymore without coming across another new majolica reproduction. I’ve written about many of them on this blog. Here are a few new ones that I’ve seen. The difference in quality between the originals and the copies speak for themselves.
This first one is a copy of a George Jones game terrine base adapted into a jardiniere. The unglazed sections should be an immediate red flag to any buyer because an antique piece would never leave a surface piece bare. The game terrine that it is adapted from is posted below it. For more awful George Jones reproductions I’ve written about in the past go here.
This next one is an adaptation of a Minton teapot converted into a pitcher. The quality of this one is exceedingly poor.The Minton piece it is mimicking is also posted below it. For other poor Minton reproductions go here.
This is another reproduction of an antique rooster piece, a copy of a French Onnaing animal pitcher. For more on the faïencerie at Onnaing go here.
Here is another copy of a French pitcher, this copy much worse than the one above. The original is by the faïencerie at Orchies, L’Herminé et Cie. It is glazed in the manner of Mexican dripware.
This figural pitcher is a copy of a well known pottery form, the toby jug. The maker of the original is unidentified but what makes this reproduction interesting is the fake English Registration mark on the base. Clearly the maker had no understanding of the system because it bears only a passing resemblance to the real thing. It would never fool a pro buyer but that isn’t the market it is aimed at. It is for the buying novice with limited knowledge. For more on the English Registration system go here.
This next modern piece is a reworking of a Minton cheesebell base from their bee skep cheese keeper.
This final one is an incredibly bad copy of a Forester centerpiece of a putto riding a dolphin. The glaze isn't shiny let alone iridescent like antique majolica. For more information on Thomas Forester’s other work go here.
As I write after every post I do on reproductions, there is nothing wrong with buying a reproduction as long as you know what you’re getting. The problem is pieces that are meant to deceive like the toby jug with the fake mark. These pieces sell wholesale for $10-$35 from dealers who specialize in importing these kinds of reproductions from Asia and who only sell to certified retailers. They are then resold for hundreds of dollars by these dishonest retailers to naïve buyers.
Always buy from a reputable dealer who will accept a return if the piece is misrepresented. For more on detecting reproduction majolica go here. For information on the most common majolica reproductions go here. For information on identifying true Etruscan Majolica go here.
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