Marine Majolica

In a previous post I wrote about Wedgwood's famous Ocean pattern. Marine life has been one of the richest sources of subject matter for majolica manufacturers. From the largest manufacturers like Minton and George Jones there's barely a centerpiece or conservatory piece that doesn't reference them. And of course there are the oyster plates!

Minton monumental centerpiece 

Minton majolica putti fountain

Minton majolica putto on hippocampus

Minton majolica putti on dolphin vase

George Jones majolica centerpiece 

Minton majolica sweetmeat

Minton majolica salt

George Jones majolica shell bearers

Royal Worcester majolica mermaid server

Luneville majolica centerpiece 

George Jones majolica spooner

Choisy-le-Roi centerpiece

Minton majolica putti centerpiece

Minton majolica fish plate

Forester majolica fish plate

M. S. Kuzniecov majolica shell plate

Wedgwood majolica fish plate

Wedgwood majolica shell pitcher 

Sarreguemines majolica vase

Minton majolica crane fountain

George Jones majolica oyster plate 

Minton majolica oyster plate 

Wedgwood dolphin and shells majolica oyster plate

Minton majolica fish oyster plate

Minton majolica sweetmeat 

From the smaller manufacturers like Fielding, Wardle and the Etruscan Works we have the famous Shell and Net pattern, Shell and Seaweed pattern and Shell series.

Etruscan Majolica Shell pattern

Wedgwood majolica Ocean tea set

Wardle majolica Shell tea set

Fielding majolica Shell and Net set

We also have the wonderful Adams and Bromley and Wedgwood fish pieces.

Adams & Bromley majolica fish tea set

Adams & Bromley majolica fish cheese bell

Wedgwood majolica flatfish platter

Wedgwood majolica hippocampus jug

But many beautiful pieces were also created by other potters as well as unknown potteries. These pieces are generally overshadowed by the name potteries in big auctions but many of them are gorgeous in their own right and a great buy.

Shorter & Boulton shells & waves platter

Wardle majolica sardine

Unattributed majolica master salt

Onnaing majolica fish platter

Schiller majolica marine ewer

Unattributed shell and seaweed pitcher

Unattributed majolica fish tea set

Unattributed fish platter

Holdcroft majolica fish plate

Holdcroft majolica terrine

Holdcroft majolica salmon platter

Bevington majolica fish basket

Shorter/Adams & Bromley majolica fish pitcher

Léon Brard Palissy majolica plaque

Léon Brard Palissy fish plaque

French Palissy majolica charger

Renoleau majolica palissy plaque

Thomas Sergent palissy plaque

French majolica Barbizet fish plaque

Palissy majolica fish basket

Holdcroft fish cheese dish

Unattributed fish vase

Majolica Palissy fish charger

Majolica triton sweetmeat

Desvres majolica fish pitcher

Austrian majolica fish humidor

Luneville majolica escargot plate

Adams & Bromley shell tazza

The number of different designs is endless and a wonderful legacy left to us by these majolica potters of the 19th century.

Majolica in the Movies: The Reivers

I was watching an old Steve McQueen movie the other day called The Reivers based on a William Faulkner novel. The story concerns a lively fellow, naturally played by McQueen, who "borrows" an auto–-and the auto owner's 11 year-old grandson–-for a trip that will open the eyes of the young man and teach him all about life. It's one of those coming-of-age type movies that were popular in the late 60's and early '70's. The story is set in the first decade of the 20th Century in Memphis, Tennessee.

One of the main sections of the movie takes place in a brothel where McQueen has a girlfriend he wishes to marry. When he arrives at the brothel door we know instantly we're in a house of ill repute because the door is answered by an elderly woman with a little too much makeup and jewlery, and the surroundings just drip with gaudy color, shiny brass and decadence. Now, mind you, this movie was filmed in 1969 so what we're actually seeing is the set director's idea of 1910 gaudy decor.

A prominent cobalt blue art nouveau floral majolica vase sits on a table in one of the bedrooms. It could be French, Austrian or Bohemian.

It reminds us that for a very long time majolica was generally considered gaudy, tasteless, and the epitome of bad taste, and 1969 was on the tail end of that period. Of course today no serious antique collector or dealer would share that feeling, but 1969 was a very different time.

It reminds me of the lyrics to an old Pete Seeger song made popular by the Byrds just a few years before the movie, To Everything ,Turn, Turn, Turn, There is a season Turn, Turn, Turn, And a time to every purpose, under Heaven.

To view The Reivers trailer go here.