As most people who collect ceramics know, any particular model that exists can come in multiple kinds of decoration. Although the basic decoration is dictated by the pottery’s master decorator the young women who did the glazes on ceramics were given a certain degree of leeway in what colors were used to decorate their pieces. This is certainly true in majolica.
One of the most commonly seen pieces available in different colors is the Minton six well oyster plate which can be found in a rainbow of different colors. Certain colors like yellow, lavender and cobalt are highly sought after so they naturally bring the highest prices while other colors like turquoise, which is the most common color, bring less. I have written at length about them here.
Cobalt Minton majolica oyster plate
Yellow Minton majolica oyster plate
Purple Minton majolica oyster plate
Turquoise Minton majolica oyster plate
Pink Minton majolica oyster plate
Another Minton plate that came in a rainbow of colors was the strawberry serving plate. Again, the same rules apply as before with white being the most colon color while other colors bring more money.
Minton majolica strawberry serving plates.
Numerous George Jones pieces came in a variety of colors as well. Prices achieved today vary as well.
Of course this was also true of other English potteries as well.
Copeland majolica primrose vase
Copeland majolica primrose vase
Fielding majolica teapot
Fielding majolica teapot
Holdcroft majolica heron plate
Holdcroft majolica heron plate
Holdcroft majolica heron plate
Brown-Westhead Moore oyster plate
Brown-Westhead Moore oyster plate
Brown-Westhead Moore oyster plate
Brown-Westhead Moore oyster plate
Some of the most radical color treatments come from Wedgwood particularly where their Argenta line is concerned. Consequently the price variations are just as radical in the marketplace.
Wedgwood majolica Fan cheese bell
Wedgwood Fan Argenta cheese bell Wedgwood Fan majolica cheese bell Wedgwood majolica helmet pitcher
Wedgwood’s majolica helmet pitcher Wedgwood majolica Argenta helmet jug
Wedgwood majolica St. Louis oyster plate
Wedgwood majolica St. Louis oyster plate
Wedgwood majolica St. Louis oyster plate Wedgwood Argenta majolica St. Louis oyster plate
Wedgwood majolica Chrysanthemum oyster plate Wedgwood majolica Chrysanthemum oyster plate Wedgwood majolica Chrysanthemum oyster plate
Wedgwood majolica Argenta Lincoln plate
Wedgwood majolica Lincoln plate
Wedgwood majolica Argenta Fern cheese bell
Wedgwood majolica Fern cheese bell
Wedgwood majolica Fern cheese bell
Wedgwood majolica Argenta oyster plate
Wedgwood majolica oyster plateWedgwood majolica oyster plate
Wedgwood majolica oyster plate Wedgwood majolica Fan plate Wedgwood majolica Fan plate Wedgwood majolica Fan plate
The Etruscan Works of Phoenixville PA had their pieces painted at the whim of the decorator. How else could you find such variety in one design.
Etruscan Majolica Maple plate
Etruscan Majolica oyster plates Etruscan Majolica cheese bell
Etruscan Majolica cheese bell Etruscab Majolica cheese bell
The colors available result in substantial differences in look with the results leading to very different final impressions. Today, some colors are more sought after than others, as I mentioned in an earlier
post, often leading to very different price points for items that with only a few exemptions, originally sold for the same price.
I’ve only posted a few here but every pottery that made majolica offered this kind of variety to their customers allowing today’s collectors endless choices for their purchases.
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