Majolica Garden

Majolica Garden

Majolica For Home Decoration And Gifts

Are you planning to buy beautiful and interesting handicrafts for gifts or for your home decoration in Majolica from the Renaissance?

Majolica or "Maiolica" in Italian is tin- or lead-glazed pottery first made popular in Italy during the early years of the Renaissance. The name Majolica is traced back to a port in Italy called Majorca where the pottery was first traded. These finely-crafted pieces of pottery are known all over the world for their beauty, detail and durability.

The early pieces were decorated mostly with arabesques, flowers, or birds. By the early sixteenth century, Majolica had become a unique Italian handicraft and included human form depicting mythological or religious themes. Sometimes thought of as unusual or whimsical, Majolica pottery was often created in the forms of snakes, lizards, fish, shells or other marine life and painted in bright colors of blue, green and gold. The brilliant colors and shapes of Majolica make it stand out from any other curios in your home.

Modern day Majolica features a huge variety in design, color, style, and age. Although selection of Majolica to fit into your collection or home décor is personal, knowledge of different types of Majolica and its quality are very important in building a collection you can be proud of displaying.

Majolica from Villaggio and Majolica from Deruta by great Italian masters are the best choice for the décor of your home. Majolica canisters, Majolica dinnerware, Majolica vases, hand painted Majolica figurines make great gifts. Majolica can be found in the form of plates, vases, teacups, saucers, figurines, teapots, statues and statuettes. They range in price from a few dollars to several thousand based on the nature and the condition of the article.

Majolica dinnerware from Deruta is an essential addition to your pottery collection. Though Deruta is prohibitively expensive, one beautifully embellished serving platter displayed on your dining room wall is worth more than the money you paid for it.

A beautiful addition to your Majolica dinnerware yet, is the Orvieto rooster pattern. Called "gallo" in Italian, the rooster has long been considered lucky, encouraging fertility and success in business.

Some Majolica wall plates, statues and statuettes, and even ceramic tables are specifically made for displaying. Majolica pieces like the Ricco Deruta wall clock are a perfect blend of practical use and decorative beauty.

Palissy Majolica features highly realistic three-dimensional themes taken directly from nature. The Palissy tradition in Majolica has continued into modern times. If you can strategically display one or two pieces of Palissy Majolica you will have enhanced the elegance and authenticity of your Majolica collection.

Majolica Tiles are made to display on a picture stand. They can be framed and hung on the wall, the Majolica tile is an excellent collection for a novice. The more antique the Majolica is the more stylish your display will be.

You can find Majolica online:

If you are interested in buying Majolica online,  thoroughly check the seller's antecedents and feedback before you place your bid. Ask if the piece is cracked, chipped, or in any other way damaged. Damage usually lowers the cost of the piece.

Imitations of Majolica:

Since Majolica is popular worldwide, fakes can be passed on as genuine Majolica. You can get scammed into buying second hand painted ceramics. Buy from dealers with good reputation but not from any petty website. A legitimate and reputable dealer is always happy to answer questions from a potential customer since he is very knowledgeable on Majolica.

Cracks in the glaze Majolica:

"Crazing" is a network of very fine cracks in the glaze Majolica. It represents normal aging, generally taking about fifty years to occur. In some pieces crazing is considered desirable.

Look closely to ensure that there are no cracks or chips, repainting or glazing. If you find one, factor that into the value so that you are given a fair price.

About the Author

Nymphenburg <a href="http://www.kneenandco.com/nymphenburg/porcelain-majolica-c-1_9.html" title="Majolica Figurines" target="_blank">Majolica Figurines</a>, Majolica Garden Statuary, Majolica Fountains and Majolica Tile Wall Friezes. Nymphenburg stands as the only porcelain manufactory in Europe still producing majolica in the traditional handcrafted manner.

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