![\"Minton](\"https:\/\/madelena.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/102616_1331_MajolicaMai10.JPG\")
<\/a>1. majolica n.\u00a0 <\/strong>An alternative\u00a0spelling\u00a0for maiolica n<\/strong>.<\/p>\n maiolica n<\/strong>. Any tin-glazed<\/strong> earthenware\u00a0with opaque whitish glaze\u00a0and\u00a0brush painted decoration, typically prone to flaking. Reaching Italy\u00a0mid-15th\u00a0century, Renaissance\u00a0Italian maiolica became a celebrated art form. Maiolica developed also\u00a0as faience (France), and delft (UK and Netherlands).<\/p>\n 2. majolica n.<\/strong> Very rare English tin-glazed <\/b>earthenware made from 1850 typically in Revivalist style in imitation of Italian\u00a0Renaissance maiolica; having an opaque whitish glaze\u00a0with brush painted decoration. Minton & Co. named it ‘majolica’ and exhibited at the\u00a01851 Exhibition.<\/p>\n 3. majolica n.<\/strong>\u00a0 Mass produced earthenware decorated with coloured lead glazes\u00a0<\/strong><\/a>applied directly to an unglazed body, then fired. Hard-wearing. Typically relief molded in Naturalistic style. Developed by Minton & Co. and shown at the 1851 Great Exhibition. Named ‘Palissy’ ware by Minton & Co. , known generally as ‘majolica’. Also the technique of painting coloured lead glazes onto unglazed surfaces.<\/p>\n 4. Victorian Majolica n.<\/strong>\u00a0 Majolica manufactured in England between 1850 and 1900\u00a0of Sense 2. tin-glazed majolica, or Sense 3. coloured-lead-glazes majolica, often with an element of High Victorian whimsy.<\/p>\n The text describes Minton flower-vases in imitation of Renaissance Italian tin-glaze maiolica. The accompanying illustration is however of a flower pot (jardini\u00e8re and stand) to the best of our knowledge decorated only by coloured lead glazes applied directly to the ‘biscuit’.<\/p>\n Using the text alone this citation makes clear the product is\u00a0by Minton\u00a0in imitation of Renaissance Italian tin-glaze maiolica –\u00a0the “old Majolica”. The citation can therefore\u00a0be used with no\u00a0risk of ambiguity\u00a0to support Sense 2. majolica n.<\/b> English tin-glazed <\/b>earthenware made from 1848 in imitation of Italian\u00a0Renaissance maiolica\u00a0having an\u00a0opaque whitish glaze\u00a0with brush painted decoration,\u00a0named ‘majolica’ by\u00a0Minton and\u00a0launched at the\u00a01851 Exhibition.<\/p>\n The citation above highlights a recurrent problem for researchers: authors\u00a0often get it wrong.<\/p>\n The new, vibrant, coloured lead glazes<\/em> of Arnoux at Minton are\u00a0\u00a0hard-wearing, suitable for\u00a0multi-purpose use in home and garden e.g. flower pots.<\/p>\n Tin-glazed<\/em> products are,\u00a0by contrast, generally prone to flaking,\u00a0more suitable for\u00a0interior d\u00e9cor and conservatories than for\u00a0outdoor use.<\/p>\n As far as we know, the first published illustration of a Minton majolica flower\u00a0vase\/pot is\u00a0the above\u00a0woodcut in the Art Journal Illustrated Catalogue\u00a0of 1851.<\/p>\n Read a little further and you will see the text of the catalogue continues with a very interesting phrase…<\/p>\n “Messrs Minton & Co…. exhibit some excellent Flower Vases<\/span>, coloured after the style of the old Majolica<\/span>. The quiet tone<\/span> of colour he has adopted for their fanciful surfaces evinces the very best of taste.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Hold on… the text\u00a0does not seem\u00a0to\u00a0match the illustration!<\/p>\n Does the author truly know his subject? Or was this flower pot once produced in tin-glaze? Unlikely, but let us know if you know of one.<\/p>\n To the best of our knowledge, this pot was only ever\u00a0decorated by coloured lead glazes applied directly to the ‘biscuit’ as illustrated here.<\/p>\n Good to see\u00a0an original colour pattern on page 7 of November 2016 Majolica Matters!<\/p>\n Not exactly “quiet tone of colour”…<\/p>\n “Vase” sounds like\u00a0interior d\u00e9cor. “Old Majolica” in 1851\u00a0definitely refers to\u00a0Renaissance Italian tin-glaze maiolica. “Quiet tone of colour” seems more likely to describe opaque white with painted decoration than vibrant colored lead-glazes. It would seem to us the text describes Minton’s\u00a0tin-glazed <\/b>flower vases made in imitation of Italian Renaissance maiolica\u00a0with brush painted decoration like the one (below) that we photographed recently in the magnificent Potteries Museum & Art Gallery, Stoke-on-Trent.<\/p>\n We return to the Art Journal Illustrated Catalogue. We search\u00a0every reference to ‘Minton’\u00a0hoping to find\u00a0a\u00a0picture of a Minton tin-glazed\u00a0flower-vase or a picture of anything else\u00a0by\u00a0Minton lead-glazed.<\/p>\n At last! We thrill to spot the iconic Minton Victoria Wine Cooler which won the only British medal for Arnoux and Minton – page 5, Majolica Matters, November 2016!<\/p>\n Dang it.\u00a0The example in the Catalogue\u00a0is reported as being the centrepiece of the dessert service ‘in Parian ware’ purchased by\u00a0Queen Victoria (pp.114,115,116). Did the author of the catalogue get this wrong? [Ed. note: No worries. The Victoria Wine Cooler in the Exhibition gifted to the Emperor of Austria\u00a0was indeed Parian ware. See this link\u00a0V and A Museum<\/span><\/u><\/a>. Did the\u00a0colored lead glazes\u00a0cooler come slightly later? Or was there a coloured version also in the Exhibition?]<\/em><\/p>\n “The third cut is from a WINE-COOLER, which forms the centre-piece of the dessert-service, and is, on the whole, the most meritorious object of the collection; our limited space does not permit us to describe it;”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n The dessert service is that purchased by Queen Victoria, reported as being made of Parian.<\/p>\n We are interested in evidence of any<\/em> Minton tin-glazed or lead-glazed ware exhibited in 1851.\u00a0Is the above\u00a0the Minton stand?<\/p>\n 1851 London Jrnl. Arts <\/a>39 61 The specimens of the revived majolica in the Exhibition are by Minton; but the style of art in which they are executed does not deserve commendation.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n The London Journal of Arts<\/strong>\u00a0also reports on\u00a0the 1851 Exhibition but in text alone, no pictures.<\/p>\n The London Journal of Arts citation of 1851\u00a0makes clear the product is\u00a0by Minton\u00a0in imitation of Renaissance Italian tin-glaze maiolica, the\u00a0“revived Majolica”.<\/p>\n The citation can therefore\u00a0be used with no\u00a0risk of ambiguity\u00a0to support Sense 2. majolica n.<\/b> English tin-glazed <\/b>earthenware made from 1850 in imitation of Italian\u00a0Renaissance maiolica\u00a0having an\u00a0opaque whitish glaze\u00a0with brush painted decoration,\u00a0named ‘majolica’ by Minton, introduced\u00a01851.<\/p>\n “The style… does not deserve commendation” is entirely subjective, though it might tally with “Quiet tone of colour” (above).<\/p>\n On p.62 only Minton’s\u00a0tin-glazed flower vases and tiles are mentioned. Was there no ‘Palissy’ ware to report?\u00a0Was the flower pot and under-tray that was at the exhibition, and illustrated, actually a tin-glaze example?<\/p>\n Also on p.62\u00a0is\u00a0a further reference to\u00a0the “comparatively tender character” of tin-glazed ware.<\/p>\n 1867, Leon Arnoux,\u00a0on Pottery, p.391, Reports on the Paris Universal Exhibition 1867 “But it is by their garden-pots, flower vases, and garden seats\u2026 that Minton have made their majolica so well known”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n “… so well known” can only mean\u00a0“mass produced”,\u00a0Sense<\/strong> 3. majolica n.<\/b> Earthenware decorated with colored lead glazes<\/strong> applied directly to an unglazed body, then fired. Typically hard-wearing, relief molded,\u00a0in classical or naturalistic styles. Called ‘Palissy’ ware by Minton, soon\u00a0became known as ‘majolica’ [absurdly, says Haggar]<\/i>. Introduced in 1851; widely copied and mass-produced<\/a>; the hottest pottery of the Victorian era.<\/p>\n By 1867 when Arnoux writes this report he is\u00a0content to use the word MAJOLICA for both the tin-glaze and the lead-glaze product. The word LEAD\u00a0is entirely absent from\u00a0this report. Lead poisoning of workers\u00a0in the Potteries was a\u00a0huge issue.\u00a0We suspect\u00a0Arnoux was being political.\u00a0[Text in brackets is\u00a0our own.] <\/em>He says<\/p>\n “[Minton] combine upon their majolica different sorts of transparent [lead glaze earthenware that\u00a0Minton named\u00a0‘Palissy ware’] and opaque [tin glaze earthenware\u00a0that Minton named\u00a0‘majolica’] enamels\u2026 sometimes [decorated] in the Italian method [raw tin glaze, dried, painted, then fired to produce characteristic opaque white glaze with painted decoration]; sometimes upon the opaque-fired enamel\u2026”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Jacob Falke, edited by Prof W Baumer et al, The Workshop, 1869 Vol II, No. 10, p.148<\/p>\n Sense 1. majolica n.<\/strong>\u00a0 An alternative\u00a0spelling of maiolica n.<\/strong> The possibility\u00a0of ambiguity is removed by the reference to “ornament only”. This eliminates the possibility of confusion with Sense 3. –\u00a0the hard-wearing majolica of coloured lead glazes applied direct to the biscuit.<\/p>\n “\u2026however highly majolica may be esteemed, it will always remain an article of luxury and ornament only\u2026 Any other employment of it, as for drinking cups, for example, or Dinner services can never be anything but a passing fashion\u2026 In ornaments for the drawing-room\u2026 or for flower vases\u2026 it will find its appropriate use,\u2026” p.148<\/p>\n The 1869 reference from Jacob Falke\u2019s The Workshop clarifies that the term “majolica” was used as an alternative spelling for “maiolica,” referring specifically to tin-glazed earthenware with a white, opaque surface decorated with hand-painted designs. This type of ceramic, while admired for its artistic beauty, was considered fragile and prone to flaking, limiting its practical use in everyday settings. Falke emphasizes that such ware should be viewed primarily as ornamental\u2014suitable for vases or decorative objects in the drawing room rather than functional items like drinking cups or dinner services.<\/p>\n He argues that any attempt to use it for utilitarian purposes would be merely a fleeting trend, not a sustainable practice, due to its delicate nature. This distinction is crucial for collectors and historians, as it helps separate true maiolica from the more durable Victorian lead-glazed pottery often mistakenly grouped under the same name. Just as understanding historical context allows for accurate appreciation of ceramics, individuals today can benefit from efforts to learn more<\/a> about generic Cialis and treatment options when seeking safe, informed solutions under medical guidance.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Mankowitz and Haggar, respected life long ceramicists define MAIOLICA as tin-glaze earthenware with painted decoration as in Sense 1. maiolica n<\/b>. Any\u00a0tin-glazed<\/strong> earthenware\u00a0with opaque whitish glaze\u00a0and\u00a0brush painted decoration; reached Italy\u00a0mid 15th\u00a0century.<\/p>\n “… any kind of earthenware with painted decoration on tin glaze.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n and MAJOLICA as Sense 3. majolica n.<\/b> Earthenware decorated with colored lead glazes<\/strong> applied directly to an unglazed body…<\/p>\n “MAJOLICA\u00a0– the name absurdly given by Victorian potters to earthenware decorated with coloured glazes introduced at Mintons about 1850, for… flower-pots…”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n We promise to\u00a0conclude our investigations eventually. Meanwhile\u00a0the\u00a0discovery of\u00a0unambiguous\u00a0citations\u00a0supporting the four\u00a0senses<\/strong> of the word majolica n.<\/strong> goes on.<\/p>\n Investigate What Our ongoing\u00a0quest\u00a0is for\u00a0unambiguous evidence\u00a0illustrating\u00a0the\u00a0four senses in which\u00a0the word\u00a0MAJOLICA\u00a0is used including MAIOLICA. This blog takes a look at Citations\u00a0mentioning Flower Vases from\u00a0about 1848\u00a0onward. Questions arise.\u00a0Was a\u00a0‘flower vase’\u00a0the same thing\u00a0as a ‘flower pot’? Were\u00a0authors’ descriptions of materials, processes and styles reliable? Was\u00a0lead-poisoning the reason why\u00a0processes are mentioned\u00a0very little\u00a0and\u00a0materials – lots of lead in there – […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1533,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1622","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-majolica"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/madelena.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1622","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/madelena.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/madelena.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/madelena.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/madelena.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1622"}],"version-history":[{"count":56,"href":"https:\/\/madelena.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1622\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3319,"href":"https:\/\/madelena.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1622\/revisions\/3319"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/madelena.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1533"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/madelena.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1622"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/madelena.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1622"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/madelena.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1622"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}<\/a>1851, Art Journal Illustrated Catalogue, citation supporting Sense 2.<\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/p>\nAuthor veracity?<\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/a><\/a>What did<\/em> Minton exhibit in 1851?<\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/a>1851, London Journal of Arts, citation supporting Sense 2.<\/h2>\n
\n
<\/a><\/a><\/a>1867, Leon Arnoux, Reports on the Paris Universal Exhibition of 1867, citation supporting Sense 3.<\/h2>\n
\n<\/strong><\/p>\n1869, Jacob Falke, The Workshop, citation supporting Sense 1.<\/h2>\n
\nmaiolica n.<\/strong> Any\u00a0tin-glazed earthenware\u00a0with opaque whitish glaze\u00a0and\u00a0brush painted decoration. Prone to flaking.<\/p>\nClarity. Purpose. Context.<\/h2>\n
1968, Mankowitz & Haggar, Encyclopaedia of English Pottery, citations supporting Sense 1. and Sense\u00a03.<\/h2>\n
<\/a>Conclusion in sight<\/h2>\n
Join the Majolica Society<\/a><\/h2>\n
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