The Designers Group
THE DESIGNERS GROUP MAJOLICA GALLERIES of Dallas Texas
Featuring premiere victorian majolica. English, French and Continental pieces by George Jones, Lonitz, Massier Minton, T. Sergent and W. Schiller among many others.
Majolica for the collector and for interior design featuring large garden and architectural pieces as well as all other majolica categories.
The Galleries are located in the Forestwood Mall (972-661-0001) and the Gathering on Slocum (214-741-4888) in the design district, of the greater Dallas Texas area.
MAJOLICA MANIA
MAJOLICA is a tin glazed pottery reborn in 1850 from its 16th century beginnings, with the opening of the Crystal Palace Exhibits...and an introduction by the Minton company of decorated pottery in effusive motifs and colors.
Originally produced to accommodate the need for table ware of all types - strawberry plates, salt cellars, butter plates and plates of all sizes and types. Magnificient centerpiece decorative pieces for the table, tiles and fireplace surrounds. All produced for the emerging middle class to the grandest of homes. The need for decorative objects for garden and conservatory areas of victorian homes also aided the emergence of the mania for majolica. All leading to MAJOLICA MANIA.
The production of majolica started with Minton in England and quickly spread to many continental potters work shops. The response and adulation to Mintons initial development of majolica was seen at international exhibitions and was copied and admired by many. And of course it eventially spread to the Americas.
Majolica is very strong in color and often with fantastical shape and allegorical motif. The best potters produced outstanding workmanship.
The pieces of YESTERDAY are highly collectible and make a desireable accent in homes and decoration for TODAY.
The Designers Group sources unique decorative and collectible pieces from many potters. We especially look for unusual and architectural pieces for use for the design market in residential and commercial use.
We reccommend for general reference MAJOLICA - A complete History by authors M. Karmason and J. Stacke.
FRENCH BARBOTINE
The word barbotine is the french equivalent for the word majolica. There were many potters producing. We pay special atttention to the family of MASSIER.
Father Clement and Delphin and Jerome, all from the area of Vallauris...from the period of 1860 to early twentieth century.
They produced wonderful jardinieres, garden and table pieces and most in a riot of color, animal, floral and fruit decorations. They developed a style that was most definitely their own and original to them.
We have many pieces signed and/or attributed to them and would also like to mention a helpful source in the BARBOTINES de la COTE d'Azur, aurthor M. Bottero.
PALISSY
Majolica discribed as Palissy was a renewal of the work of Bernard Palissy (16th century) is a broad range of category that was reinterpreted by artists and potters in the Victorian Renaissance...These pieces were based on baroque motifs with aniaml, floral, woodland leaves, sealife...all the naturalistic components which Darwin was writing about and was a topic in every home.
France had an outstanding group of potters, referred to as the School of Paris...like T. Sergent, Landais, Barbizet, Maurice...
We suggest the following books for more information.
- Antique Majolica Around the House by Snyder
- Barbotine de la Cote'd Azur by Bottero
- Bernard Palissy by L. Amico
- European Majolica by Murray
- Faience de Gian by Gillard
- Figural Humidors and Mostly Victorian by Horowitz
- Les Barbotine by Faveton
- Majolica by Moran
- Majolica Figures by Cunningham
- Marvelous Majolica by Snyder
- Majolica American and European by Snyder and Bockol
- Majolica International Society
- Palissy Ware by M. Katz and R. Lehr
- Pitchets en barbotine by Bottero
- Portuguese Palissy Ware by Katz
- Unbestiaire Fantastique by Avisseau el ta Faience de Tours
- Victorian Majolica by Bockol
STAFFORDSHIRE
The Designers Group at www.dsgantiques.com shows transferware primarily in platters and plates for the collector and for design use.
The term is one given to pottery that has had a pattern applied by transferring the printfrom a copper plate to a specialty sized paper and finally to the pottery body. It was produced on earthenware, ironstone, porcelain and bone china. The development in the second half of the 18th century was a response to the need for the newly emerging English middle class to have less expensive tableware.
This is the DEFINITION of transferware. What is most interesting is the STORY...about events, family and farm life, the human side of the English countryside and the events around the world. It was a teaching tool of the 1850 to 1880 period of time. Platters are the largest background to use to tell the story.
Many platters were signed and from known factories but we are still today discovering unsigned and new scenes in this vast picture of history. Major potters in the staffordshire area of England who were doing this work are, to name but a few...
- Adams
- Clews
- Hall
- Meigh
- Stevenson Mason
The English preferred the lighter blue and more romantic scenes of english country life, including cattle and horses, beautiful estates and picnics in the parks surrounding these estates. This is referred to as Romantic Design pieces.
Transferware was made and shipped all over the world. It reflected the scenes and interest of the country of destination. The Victorians were avid about animals of India so the Sporting Series was developed and is very sought after. It shows the animals and safari treks in India, which reflected the interest of the English in their new stronghold over the India of this period. Battles in the far east, chinese design all are subjects interpreted for the transferware market.
The Dr. Syntax series was from a book published in the1860 period. The ramble around of the old doctor and his adventures was complimented with a series of sketches. The book isDoctor Syntax's Three Tours in Search of the Picturesque, Consolation and a Wife, by William Combe. Illustration by T. Rowlandson and published by Chatto and Windus. No publishing date. If one is interested in finding this book we will reply to an email with a picture of the book which might help in the search.
We show many plates and platter s in the Dr. Syntax series. We also show the Deldare Dr. Syntax by the Buffalo pottery company of New York. Again these are uncommon and collectible.
Publications of interest to Staffordshire Transferware:
- Blue and White Pottery by Coysh, Vol l and Vol LL
- Encyclopedia of British Transfer-Printed Pottery Patterns, 1790-1930 by Neale for Miller
- Romantic Staffordshire Ceramics by Snyder
- Historical Staffordshire by Snyder
- Collectors club contact is www.transcollectorsclub.org
DECORATIVE ARTS
The Designers Group highlights design categories that are of emphasis for today's home. The categories are electic in order to create room spaces that are a reflection of the attitude of today's designers and homes. Settings are professionally grouped and change frequently.
MURANO LAMPS, MURANO CHANDILIERS annd MURANO MIRRORS are sourced from several factories of the murno island from the known artists that are still working. Murano is a very special product that will be more and more scarce and expensive as time goes by as the replacement artists are not remaining in the glass business. We also offer quality, vintage pieces that are updated for today's market.
Antique chairs, cabinets and especialy mirrors are selected to work with murano glass. Late 18th to early 20th century mirrors in a range of styles and motifs add warmth and statement to interiors. We can also do special work for commercial installation.
Showing with MURANO and ANTIQUES are selected pieces of MID CENTURY MODERN...lamps, furniture and accessory pieces.
Our show spaces are professionally organized and presented and change frequently...
Within Decorative ARTs is a section for PICKARD porcelain. America's premiere collectible in the porcelain category, all signed pieces of hand painted, and primarily limoge, blanks.