Etruscan Fruits and Vegetables

Etruscan Majolica cauliflower plate

In anticipation of the publication of the fourth edition and new hardcover version of my book, Etruscan Majolica: The Definitive Reference to the Majolica of Griffen, Smith & Company, I am posting here the seventh and last video I prepared for a lecture on Etruscan Majolica created several years ago to promote the first edition of the book. Videos can also be found: here (animals), here (leaves), here (flowers), here (Shell), here (utility) and here (Pandora Ware). 

Of all the pieces created by the Etruscan Works, the fruit and vegetable series is probably the most relatable. This group includes the Etruscan Cauliflower series–one of the most well known of all their patterns– as well as the rare Corn pieces. Some others that are better known such a the Grape plates are also here.

Etruscan Majolica Pandora Ware

Etruscan Majolica Pandora tea set

In anticipation of the publication of the new hardcover edition of my book, Etruscan Majolica: The Definitive Reference to the Majolica of Griffen, Smith & Company, I am posting here the sixth video I prepared for a lecture on Etruscan Majolica created several years ago to promote the first edition of the book. The other videos can be found here (animals), here (leaves), here (flowers), here (shell), and here (utility).

The sixth video I’m posting shows pieces belonging to the Pandora series. Long misidentified as the "Classical" series, Pandora was made using majolica glazes but was not considered part of the general majolica line. It receives its name from the large luncheon plate which has an image of Hermes carrying Pandora, a copy of a sculpture by John Flaxman. 

Mercury bringing Pandora to Earth by John Flaxman c.1854

As a rule, the Pandora series was not marked with the Etruscan Majolica circular logo with the exception of those designs that were appropriated for the multicolor majolica series. Pandora was marked instead using the Etruscan Works, Good, Strong and Handsome logo, or GSH. I’ve written about Pandora before, here. 

Multicolored Etruscan Majolica Pandora dinner plate

Also in this video I include the Baseball Pitcher, the Asian peasant plate and the Holy Water Font which otherwise defy categorization.

The current edition of our book

Detailed descriptions of all the Pandora pieces, including sizes and details of the designs, appear in my book. Both Pandora and multicolored Etruscan Majolica examples are shown in the book and the video.

I hope you find the video worth your time.

Video©D.Bastas

Etruscan Majolica Shell Themed Pieces

In 2010 I created a lecture on Etruscan Majolica to promote my new book on the company. My lecture included video sections on each of the major themes the company explored in their production.

With a new expanded edition of the book now available I thought it might be of interest to include some of the videos I prepared for the lecture here. To date I’ve posted three of these theme videos here: animals, leaves and flowers.

The fourth video I’m going to present show Shell and Coral, the most famous groups of pieces the company is associated with. These Shell and Coral pieces were very popular in their day and have remained so today. 

The current edition of my book

Detailed descriptions of all these pieces appear in my book. Additional photos of Shell and Coral in Ivory Ware and Venicine—two of the other lines in which these pieces were decorated—are also shown in the book. A link to the book on Amazon is found above as well as on the sidebar to the right. 

I hope you like the video.

Video©D.Bastas

The current edition of my book

The Etruscan Majolica Oil Lamp

Should you come across an Etruscan Majolica syrup pitcher without its pewter lid, don’t automatically pass it by. Before you do, take a good look at the metal fitting attached to the top of the syrup. You’re possibly looking at the base of a rare Etruscan oil lamp.

Conventional Etruscan Majolica syrup

Conventional Etruscan Majolica Syrup with top open

Described by the West Chester Local Daily News as well as by American pottery historian Edwin Atlee Barber upon his visit to the Phoenixville Etruscan Works in the 1880s, some majolica pieces were fitted by a third party with pewter spouts and lids for use as syrups and some were fitted with the components to convert them into oil lamps. In this time before electricity, portable oil lamps were an indispensable part of every household.

There were several different types of syrup lids made for the Etruscan syrups but most of the fittings attached to the majolica base looked the same. They had wide collars of pewter attached to a flange on which the lid would sit. Attached to the collar was an integral spout. In the back of the fitting was a hinge to which was attached a pewter lid with a handle for lifting the lid. 

The interior pewter fitting on an Etruscan Syrup

Etruscan syrup with broken hinge and missing top lid

The bases made as lamps however had none of this. These lamp font bases had narrow brass collars to which a burner could be fitted. These burners were removable to allow the lamp font to be filled with fuel and to allow for the replacement of the used wick. There is no spout and no trace of a hinge on the Etruscan bases intended as lamps.

Etruscan base fitted for use as an oil lamp,

Etruscan Majolica oil lamp font base

Alternate lamp fitting for an Etruscan bamboo base. 

The hole on the side of the fitting held a screw that controlled the flame

Having never examined a complete, original Etruscan lamp, I can only speculate on the construction by describing a typical majolica oil lamp. Inside the base usually–but not always–sat a cylindrical metal, glass or ceramic font that was filled with whale oil or kerosene. Sometimes the majolica itself served as the font that was filled with the fuel. Inside the font was a wick that reached to the bottom. On top was a metal ring to which a metal burner unit could be attached. Through the burner the wick emerged with a device that allowed the user to control the flame. The attached burner unit had clips to hold a glass chimney that topped the lamp. The chimney protected from the fire and increased the glow emanating from the burning wick. Portable lamps had attached handles that allowed the user to carry the light from room to room in the dark.

External parts of a portable oil or kerosene lamp

Unfortunately once electricity became common these bases were set aside and their original components discarded. Only once did I see a completely assembled lamp but I don’t believe the burner fittings were original so I didn’t examine the piece. Still, it was being used as intended and not simply shunted aside for lacking a pewter lid. A minor restoration can replace the components that are missing to return the lamp to its original look. It can also be restored to its use as a lamp by using specially made components that are available to electrify the piece. It doesn’t damage the base at all and would only increase its value. This is commonly done among collectors of oil lamps and will bring the past to vivid life again.

Today we don’t think much about the necessities of yesteryear, so these oil lamp bases, having lost their fittings, only look like syrups with broken pewter lids. They’re not that. They are complete on their own as originally intended by the pottery and a reminder of a time before electricity was common.

Fabulous Majolica Tea Sets: Part 2

In the first part of our look at majolica tea sets we saw the fabulous tea sets of the large potters of Great Britain and France. In this post we will take a look at some of the tea sets made by other potteries both in Europe and the United States. Let’s begin in Europe.

The palissy potter, Caldas of Portugal made a set using cabbages and snakes. These were made in several different configurations.

Caldas palissy partial tea set

The Rörstrand pottery of Sweden created a set that included a tea pot, hot water pot and coffee pot.

Rörstrand beverage set

The Belgian pottery Wasmuël created this floral tea set.

Zsolnay of Hungary created a large dessert series including a tea set with coffee pot and chocolate pot

Wilhelm Schiller & Sohn created a colorful set in their classic use of earth tones.

Schiller & Sohn majolica tea set

The unheralded small potters of Great Britain made some charming sets. An unknown English potter created several different designs using the same color palette.

Unattributed lilac tea set

Unattributed floral and basketweave majolica tea set

Unattributed floral tea set

Unattributed floral tea set, copied by Arsenal Pottery

Unattributed basketweave and floral tea set

Joseph Roth made an interesting set with a monkey on a coconut.

Joseph Roth monkey tea set

The Victoria Pottery did a unique set using a hexagonal shape as their base. It was available in a number of different color glaze grounds.

Victoria Pottery tea set

There are a number of unattributed and small English pottery tea sets, each with their own appeal.

Based on a Royal Worcester shape

English oak and acorn tea set

Blackberry tea set

Unattributed maker’s tea service. 

Design registered to retailer Blumberg & Co.

Corn majolica tea set

Crane and marsh tea set

Asian inspired tea set

 Warrilow & Cope cottage tea set

Faux bois tea set

Rustic sunflower set

Flying swallow tea set

Floral and fern tea set

Wicker and holly set

Attributed to Joseph Roth.. Also made by Forester

Raspberry and basket tea set

Fish set, possibly by Forester

Aesthetic Movement sunflower tea set

Lovebirds tea set, possibly by Adams & Bromley

Pineapple majolica tea set, possibly Wardle

Ivy majolica tea set

Copy of George Jones apple blossom and wicker tea set

Unattributed majolica fish tea set

Japonisme Fan tea set

Of course there are also the American potters, starting with the best known and best documented, the Etruscan Works of Phoenixville Pennsylvania. Their Shell pattern began as an Ivory Ware product but gained great popularity after being covered in colorful glazes. It was also later decorated in the Venicine style.

Etruscan Majolica Shell tea set

Etruscan Majolica Cauliflower tea set

Etruscan Majolica Bamboo tea set

Etruscan Majolica Bird tea set

Etruscan Majolica Ivory Ware Shell tea set

Etruscan Majolica Venicine Shell tea wares

Etruscan Pandora faux alligator tea set

Etruscan utility tea set with gold banding and enamel decoration

Then we have the Chesapeake Pottery which produced a couple of different designs, each decorated differently in the two majolica lines they produced. Also, a set by Arsenal Pottery..

This Clifton Decor tea set is a copy of Wedgwood's Blackberry patter

Chesapeake Pottery set marked Avalon Faience

Chesapeake Pottery Clifton Decor Japonisme tea set

Avalon Faience bamboo and wicker, identical in shape to the set above

English tea set copy attributed to the Arsenal Pottery

Finally, we can’t forget the children. Potters created tiny toy tea sets for them to play with.

Wild rose toy tea set

Robin toy tea set

So ends our look at majolica tea sets. As I said at the end of Part 1, there are sets I did not include for lack of adequate photographs such as the rare Tenuous majolica set of the Peekskill Pottery or the Lettuce Leaf tea set of the Wannopee Pottery. Some sets, such as the fan tea set from the Willits pottery of Trenton aren’t marked, making adequate attribution to that pottery impossible. 

If I haven’t included your favorite tea set, the endless variety of sets created over the 60 year period in which majolica was fashionable, makes any definitive look at the subject impossible. I hope instead to have given you a fair survey of the subject through the best available sources.