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Guidelines for Shipping Antiques: Avoiding Tragedy
One of the most heart breaking experiences in my 40+ years of buying antiques occurred 20 years ago when I purchased a rare Brown-Westhead Moore garden seat from a dealer in Great Britain....
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Glorious Majolica Grapes
If there is one fruit celebrated throughout history it is the grape. Symbolic with prosperity from ancient times the grape and its fermented juice had its own gods. In ancient Egypt it was Shezmu. In...
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Eureka Pottery Majolica
Eureka majolica Merry Xmas and Happy New Year dessert standVery little is known about the Eureka Pottery. What we do know is that the company was founded in 1883 by Leon Weil when he took over the...
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Majolica in the Movies: On Borrowed Time (1939)
On Borrowed Time is a fantasy film about an old man trying to delay Death from taking him away from his family. The movie is another from the greatest of movie studios MGM made during what is arguably...
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Modern Frog Faux Majolica Reproductions
The definition of “faux” is something that is fake. One of the most popular areas of majolica collecting is that of frogs. I’ve written about genuine Victorian majolica frogs before in this blog but...
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The Great London Exhibition of 1851
The following is an article on the Great London Exhibition of 1851 written by Barbara McIntyre that appeared in the Majolica International Society's publication Majolica Matters in the Summer 2001...
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Majolica in the Movies: Saltburn
What does one say about a movie as controversial as Saltburn? It has alternately been called repulsive, divisive, brilliant, perverse and a horror movie. What it is, is a movie that is more or less a...
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Finding the Real Value of Your Antiques
Without question the most common question I am asked as an antique dealer is, “How much is my antique worth?”It has always been my practice to not discuss values in this blog because of the variables...
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The Majolica of Samuel Alcock & Co.
Samuel Alcock is known largely today for his finely detailed Staffordshire porcelain and earthenware pottery, parian and Jasperware, but the company in its final years also manufactured majolica....
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Majolica in the Media: Poirot: "The Hollow"
The BBC television series Poirot is generally considered to be one of the most successful, and well cast, adaptations of the series featuring Agatha Christie's indomitable detective. Taking place in...
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Majolica in the Media: Bargain Hunt
In my never ending quest to find media relating to our favorite pottery I called upon one of my stalwart standby channels BBC America and their antiques based show Bargain Hunt.Bargain Hunt is a game...
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Majolica in the Media: Antiques Roadshow
My last two posts may have given you a clue about my television viewing penchant for BBC America, The granddaddy of all antiques shows on the BBC is the original version of Antiques Roadshow, I have...
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Bad Pottery Attributions
Having followed the antiques market for a very long time, I’m still somewhat surprised at how certain pieces of majolica are still often attributed to the wrong manufacturer. If every single piece of...
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The Majolica of Wilhelm Schiller & Son
Schiller & Son was one of the premier majolica factories of the 19th century and one of the most respected in Europe, yet the company's work is little known outside of Europe and a small community...
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Arrogance, Ignorance, Reproductions and the Antiques Marketplace
I recently saw a dealer’s listing on an online site that profoundly disturbed me. The dealer listed a reproduction piece of majolica as an authentic antique, charging many thousands of dollars for...
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The Majolica of Ignác Fischer
The story of Fischer majolica begins at one of the most celebrated porcelain factories in Europe—Herend Porcelain. Founded by Vince Stingel, Herend was purchased in 1839 by Mór Fischer. Ignác Fischer...
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Incredibly Bad George Jones Majolica Reproductions
Late last year I did what has proven to be a popular post on some of the appalling Minton reproductions available in the market. George Jones is also unfortunately the victim of equally bad majolica...
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What is the Difference Between Majolica and Maiolica?
MAJOLICA or MAIOLICA ?It’s very easy to confuse the two words. After all, in English there is only a difference of one letter, but the two pottery wares are very different. To boil it down to the most...
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Majolica in the Movies: Charade
On Sunday afternoons I have a penchant for spending my time watching Turner Classic Movies while working on my computer. On this particular Sunday they were playing “Charade,” a movie I remember seeing...
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The Majolica of Josef Strnact
Josef Srnact majolica vaseThe pottery established by Josef Strnact Jr. was one of the most prolific Bohemian potters of earthenware, terra cotta and Jugendstil majolica in the last quarter of the 19th...
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Majolica in the Movies: The Tin Drum
The Tin Drum is one of the stranger films I have seen. Having seen it in the theater it during its first run in 1979 I was completely unsettled by it. Having seen it again recently, I can’t say my...
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The Majolica of Gebrüder Schütz, Schütz Blansko and Schütz Cilli
Gebrüder Schütz majolica plateSchütz majolica is not well known in the United States by name but there are very few collectors who have not encountered some of their output. In spite of their excellent...
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Help in Identifying Unmarked Majolica
There are many clues to identifying a piece of majolica in the absence of a mark.Most easily is the advertising done by the potteries. Many potteries had sales catalogs they used to sell their...
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William Hill: The Missing Founder of Griffen, Smith and Hill
Little has been written about William Hill, the fourth original member of the partnership of Griffen, Smith & Hill, and for good reason. His tenure at the company lasted less than a year and a half...
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Majolica Mothers!
Mother’s Day is one of the biggest days of the year for card manufacturers, candy dealers and florists. In fact for florists it is by far their busiest day of the year. Although the celebration of...
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