Hunting Season

It's hunting season! Maybe for pheasant or deer, but that's not what I'm talking about. It's majolica season!

Never heard of it? Well, that's because I sort of made it up. But it's the perfect time for the burnished yet muted colors of this gorgeous pottery, and the principles of hunting down wildlife are strikingly similar.

I think of the earthiness of majolica most in fall. Autumn is when I am likely to display my pieces because of its warm colors, and so my eye is naturally more attuned this time of year. And if you're scouting flea markets, it can sometimes be almost invisible, like a fawn in grass.

Majolica is a bit of an acquired taste. Maybe not yours. But once you start collecting it, especially at giveaway prices, it can become addictive. This pottery is not as well known as, say, McCoy, therefore your chances of bagging a prize is a tad greater.

My newest trophy is this shell themed Etruscan Pottery pitcher, distinguished by its colors, and marks. It's a relatively common pattern, but beautiful.

One way to tell if it is an Etruscan Pottery reproduction is to note the unglazed bit on the bottom with a number inside identifying the artist. Fakes never have it.

And the luscious mauve colored interior.

This intricate sample is my favorite of a very limited collection. I thought it a bit hideous before I fully appreciated its fine qualities.

Maybe you can get an idea of how well majolica tends to blend into the environment if displayed in a grouping on a shelf. It's best showcased with other samples of its species.

I'm also showing my oldest loving cup in this vignette as well. It's age is approximate to the pottery shown, from just before the turn of the last century.