During the antiques program at the Wetlands Institute, I see a great many wonderful items that are brought in for appraisal.
Every once and a while I single out a particular item to do some extra research on and feature in a column. This time it’s a majolica cake stand that was brought at our first session this past February 17.
Majolica is simple earthenware pottery that is usually colorfully painted and glazed with a glaze containing tin or lead. The technique, meant to seal up the porous pottery, is very old, going back to the ancient Persians.
It is believed that the process was introduced to Western Europe through Egypt and northern Africa with the Moorish invasions of the late Middle Ages.
Moor-dominated Spain began producing it in cities like Valencia, and shipped it in vessels registered on the island of Majorca. Thus the nickname, “majolica.”
By the early Renaissance in Italy, around the late 1300s, the Italians had become experts at producing majolica-style pottery in classical Greco-Roman motifs. One of the chief cities producing Italian majolica was Faenza. Thus the name, “faience.”
Call it majolica or faience, it was rediscovered in the mid-19 Century by wealthy and upper middle class Victorians, both English and Americans, who traveled to the Continent to broaden their education in what came to be known as the “Grand Tour.”
As these tourists began bringing it home from France, Spain and mostly from Italy, colorful faience became a fixture in well-to-do Victorian homes. Then, of course, everyone had to have it.
As demand grew, it was the idea of English potter, Thomas Minton, to fill it with new majolica pieces. Other English potters, like Wedgwood and George Jones followed suit.
In America, Chesapeake Pottery of Baltimore answered demand in this country with their “Clifton” and “Avalon Faience” lines. And Griffen, Smith and Hill of Phoenixville, PA produced their majolica line under the name, “Etruscan.”
As for the piece brought into me for appraisal, it was unmarked, but I suspected it was American and Etruscan. My research revealed it was unmarked Etruscan in the Maple Leaf pattern, made between 1879-1882.
Because it was unmarked, I appraised it at $300, and indeed some lucky bidders on eBay did win it for around $295 over the past few years. They were probably dealers, because on-line shops are now asking twice that – $595!
It’s not too late for you to have your items appraised at the Wetlands Institute. There are still three Tuesday evenings left in our program.
The fee is a $25 donation to the Institute, and you can bring in as many items as you want. The more we see the more we learn. Call 609-368-1211 for more information.
—Arthur Schwerdt, a certified appraiser, is author of “The Antique Story Book: Finding the Real Value of Old Things,” and co-owner of The August Farmhouse Antiques on Route 9 in Swainton. Send your comments, questions or appraisal requests to aschwerdt@cmcherald.com.
