Add the perfect Spring and Summer accents by decorating with Majolica pottery!
Decorating with Majolica pottery is perfect for Spring or Summer decor!
The French Vaisselier cabinet in the breakfast room was the perfect piece to showcase a collection of the highly sought after Majolica.
By pairing the pottery with other Spring elements, it added just the right amount of color and texture to the dark stain of the French cabinet.
Many years ago I had a huge collection of Majolica pottery displayed on open shelves in the breakfast room of the home that we owned at the time.
I had collected it for many years, and I was particularly fond of the cabbage, lettuce, and asparagus designed Majolica.
Over the years, Majolica lost it’s popularity and after we moved to another home, I went in a different decorating direction and ended up selling all but a few pieces of this beautiful pottery.
Over the last year or so, Majolica pottery has surged in popularity again and I have found myself drawn to collecting it once more, and I’ve picked up a few pieces here and there.
When Spring arrived, I decided to change things up in the French Vaisselier and replace the ironstone, that’s typically displayed there, with Majolica.
For well over 25 years, I’ve had a couple of pieces of Majolica that are very special to me because my son bought them for me at Harrods in England when he visited with his church youth group.
So even though I had sold off most of my earlier collection, these two cherished pieces were packed away in storage.
After unpacking them, they were the first to get displayed.
One of these pieces was a gorgeous rabbit tureen with a figural rabbit top, and the other a beautiful asparagus cachepot.
The rabbit tureen wouldn’t fit into the shelves because of it’s size, so I separated the two pieces, placing the figural rabbit lid on one side, and the tureen bottom filled with velvet carrots on the other.
So what exactly is Majolica?
Majolica is a type of glazed jewel-toned pottery. It was widely produced in Europe and America in the second half of the 19th Century, but its roots are much older.
During the Renaissance, a collection of majolica (pronounced ma-JOL-e-ka) signified affluence and good taste, and it was considered to be the perfect gift for important occasions such as engagements, weddings or births.
The most dominant themes found in Majolica are fauna and flora, especially leafy patterns, and many of the items made from majolica were fun and humorous.
Almost anything was made in majolica: teapots, butter pats, oyster plates, mugs, platters and other dinnerware, and figurals.
Any small grouping of Majolica makes quite an impact and brightens any room that it’s displayed in.
Majolica was made originally by 14th Century potters and was popularized in the mid-15th Century.
It takes its name from the Spanish island of Majorca, from which it was exported to Italy during the Italian Renaissance.
It soon made its way across Europe and eventually to America, where it made its debut at the Philadelphia Centennial Exhibition in 1876.
Almost all the majolica made in the 19th and 20th Centuries was from a mold, and the more intricate the pattern, the more desirable, especially pieces that feature raised decorations.
Even though this decorative pottery fell out of fashion, over the last few years, it has been making a comeback, and because of its popularity, reproductions are plentiful.
Many potters are making majolica today, but many collectors covet those early pieces.
The pieces I’m usually drawn to are the asparagus, lettuce, and cabbage design, and anything with turquoise or blue in it.
I’m also enamored with any kind of Majolica marked “France”, but unfortunately those pieces are extremely hard to come by.
As with any collection I have, at some point I will start editing and weeding out some pieces, and only buying those pieces that fit my aesthetic.
Mixed in with the Majolica are a few other elements such as velvet carrots and strawberries, greenery, boxwood wreaths, and of course, some little birds.
As with most popular antiques, the cost of a piece of old majolica can run pretty high, especially if it’s in pristine condition.
Majolica is made of a soft and porous material, so it chips easily. However, many times this doesn’t detract at all.
Several of the pieces displayed in my cabinet have chips or flakes, but that doesn’t take away from their beauty. I consider them more of a work of art than everyday pottery.
Pieces can run anywhere from $10-$15 for a small plate to thousands of dollars for a set of dishes. But if you’re patient, you can often find bargains at flea markets, yard or estate sales, and with today’s reproductions, Majolica is affordable for anyone to collect.
Almost all the early majolica was made from molds, and the more intricate the pattern, the more desirable, especially pieces that featured raised decorations.
Most majolica is unmarked, but the European pieces often feature a mark or a series of numbers pressed in before firing. And today’s reproductions will most likely have the manufacturer’s stamp on the bottom.
When I buy Majolica, I tend to look more for the design and color, rather than by maker.
I added a bouquet of lavender and eucalyptus in ironstone to the center of the old farm table and a a few gorgeous pink and white hydrangeas on the kitchen bar to complete the room.
And, of course, no room is complete without an appearance by my little monkey, Miss RubyLou!
She has to be in whatever room I’m working in and usually gets right in the way of the camera, so now I just pose her for a couple of shots and that makes her happy.
So many of you tell me that no post is complete without seeing her!
I hope you’ve enjoyed seeing the Spring and early Summer elements that I’ve brought into the breakfast room! And perhaps, it’s inspired you to start your own collection!
The Majolica has made the breakfast room and kitchen bright with color, and I love it, but I will say that I miss the ironstone collection.
It probably won’t be long before it’s back out on display!
Cheers, Cindy
Love the majolica and your pretty crowned birds, but I’d love to know where you got your English Mounts
Happy Easter
I enjoy all of your posts and I get so many great ideas from you! Miss RubyLou always looks so adorable too!
soooooo beautiful!
Your beautiful floral arrangements caught my eye. Are they silk or fresh from a floral market?
Thanks
Connie, they are all faux!
I have quite a Majolica collection. I have collected it over sooooo many years. It brings me joy and color and elements of treasure hunting and finding such beautiful piece. I also have a soup tureen I adore. Mine is displayed much like yours on my hutch in my dining room. I think the awe and wonder of any collection is what it brings to your being…speaks to your soul. I have so enjoyed your posts and am so tickled to see that we have a common interest in such a beautiful pottery.
Hope your back is doing better…….and you’re enjoying the early summer and those kiddo’s.
Thanking you again for all your posts….and doglet hugs to Ruby Lou!
Thank you for your sweet message, Jann!
I love your posts and all the decorating and remodeling of rooms and updating of furniture that you have done over the years. It is a pleasure to read your posts and get ideas from you. I love, love, love your style and so grateful that you decided to share your style by starting your blog.
Thank you so much, Pam! Your sweet words have made my day!
So, how do you pronounce it? I see there is an English version and an American version. I love the green.
I pronounce it ma-JOL-uh-kuh. I believe in the UK, it’s pronounced muh·yo·luh·kuh.
So happy to see you post on your blog. And this was such a fun post. I used to collect Majolica as well, but strayed to other things and sold my pieces. This makes me miss it and start collecting again. Hope you are feeling well and on the mend. Blessings and love. Cindy D
Yes, I’m doing much better! The last epidural injection seems to have done the trick, helping me to put off surgery for awhile. Thank you so much for asking! Blessings to you as well!
Such a beautiful post. As always. We’ve missed you; hope all is well. It looks like you have been busy!!
So funny that you would do a post on majolica. We had a little “garage sale” this weekend (STILL downsizing!) and I sold a 12″ majolica pitcher. I, like you, had bought it with a well hidden crack in the spout because it was a navy blue and I JUST HAD TO HAVE A PIECE OF MAJOLICA!! I couldn’t have afforded a perfect one. I sure wish that I had known that you like the blue majolica and were still collecting it because I would have gladly sent it to you. I pretty much gave it away but the purchaser was thrilled to get it, warts and all. If it’s a resale, fine with me… American entrerprise at it best! Glad to get a post from you. Keep us up on what’s going on in your sweet, beautiful world.
Thank you, Deb!
Hello! I was so glad to see this post! Hope you’re well and look forward to more posts. I also enjoy the pics from your shop space.
Thank you so much, Regina!
Oh Ruby Lou, you are something! I’ve had majolica in the past, but cleared it out as I collected other things. I recently found a plate I loved, so started the cycle again. I love that your son bought you majolica from his overseas trip – that’s so sweet!
Yes, my collections run in cycles, as well! Many years ago, I had such a huge collection of Majolica, and then I lost interest in it and sold most of it off. Now, I have a renewed love for it, and slowly picking up pieces here and there. Thank you so much for commenting!
I love majolica and you have some beautiful pieces. I miss your last house. When will you move Into a permanent home? Always glad to see Miss Ruby lou.
Thank you, Alice! I miss our last home as well, but I love being closer to our children. We’re still looking for our next home….we have a couple of neighborhoods that we love, but homes don’t become available very often. So we are trying to be patient and wait to find exactly what we want.
Seeing your majolica brought back many memories. I too discovered this wonderful, whimsical pottery so many decades ago. Over a period of years I accumulated quite a collection. Blue, especially the darker blue, was the the most challenging to find. Occasionally I would discover a piece with cherubs, my favorites. The older majolica is heavier and perhaps not as brightly colored as more recent pieces. Like several other readers, I ended up selling my collection when I moved to another state. It was delightful to see your collection.