Susan Emerson Nutter HATFIELD, Pa. — When Strawser Auction Group sells majolica, collectors tune in, show up, and bid hard. The auction house is operated by Michael G. Strawser, and this man knows his stuff. Not only is Strawser the founder of the Majolica International Society and an advanced collector of this 19th century earthenware modeled in naturalistic shapes and glazed in lively colors, his company is known for hosting THE premiere majolica auction each year in the fall. The 2017 edition of Fine Majolica for the Connoisseur took place Oct. 28, and it did not disappoint. Strawser combines his knowledge of majolica with the world’s authority on majolica, Nicolaus Boston, who sources pieces from all over the world. Together the duo brings to auction beautiful and rare pieces complete with full condition reports that bidders greatly appreciate. The top lot of the auction was a monumental Hugo Lonitz majolica model of a hawk. With glass eyes, the hawk was perched on a rocky ground filled with ferns and branches on an entwined branch base. The circa 1875 figure was 24 inches tall and sold for a stunning $30,000. Prices do not include the buyer’s premium. “This piece was made in Germany as the maker’s name indicates,” Strawser said, “and it was consigned to us from Germany. This piece was understandably expensive to make so its production was limited resulting in a small number being made, and even fewer having survived.” Another rare lot was an important George Jones giraffe and stag centerpiece showing these animals standing beneath a turquoise bowl decorated with branches and leaves which sits atop a tree trunk acting as a central pedestal, all upon a circular pedestal base. Standing 14 inches high and being 14 inches wide, this circa 1875 centerpiece sold for $29,000. “This centerpiece represents the theme of the Continents compotes; these being Africa, Australia, Asia, and Europe,” said Strawser. This centerpiece is one of only three known, and it came from the Donna and David Reis Collection. Another beauty was the Minton majolica beehive cheese dish and cover that had once been part of majolica author, Marilyn Karmason’s collection. This circa 1870 piece was molded as a yellow straw bee skep or hive, and was decorated with blackberries with a branch forming the handle of the cover. Selling for $19,000, this cheese dish was 13½ inches high and 10 inches wide. Going with the notion that “size matters,” several pieces of majolica that sold this day were lavishly large. A 32 inch high by 32 inch wide Minton jardinière designed by Albert Carrier Bellous (Shape no. 990), sold for $14,000. The circa 1860 bowl featured a central ribbon-tied triple portrait medallion both front and back. The jardinière’s shoulder was flanked by a ram’s mask handles from which harvest garlands hung. Four seated cherubs also decorated the circular plinth. It’s hard to comprehend another piece of Majolica would rise above the 52 inch tall Dolphin Massier majolica butterfly and peacock jardinière that sold for $16,000; but its sister lot did; another similar example that soared 64 inches high. This beauty made $14,000. Each polychrome pedestal featured a large peacock perched against a column made of tall grasses and reeds. On top of each column was a cream colored Grecian-style bowl decorated with applied orchids, all surmounted by three, large, open-winged butterflies. Scarcity and size came into play when Charles Jean Avisseau Majolica Art of the Earth palissy grotto sold. The term “palissy” refers to a type of 19th century ceramics produced in the style of the famous French potter Bernard Palissy (French, 1510–1590). Palissy, himself, referred to his own work as rustique. Palissy’s style is created by using polychrome lead-glazed earthenware in a sombre earth-toned palette that includes naturalistic scenes of plants and animals cast from life. Palissy’s style was greatly imitated by other potters both in his own lifetime and especially in the 19th century when pottery in Palissy’s style was produced by Charles-Jean Avisseau of Tours. According to Nicolaus Boston’s cataloging of this piece, “Jean Charles Avisseau is recognized for rediscovering Bernard Palissy’s lost secrets 250 years after Palissy’s death. Together with his brother-in-law, Joseph Landais, he was the pioneer of the 19th century Palissy Revival. Exhibiting at the Great Exhibition, 1851 and the Paris Exhibition, 1855, Avisseau’s work received great acclaim and patronage being celebrated as the true 19th century Palissy Revivalist.” The Avisseau piece that sold via Strawser Auctions featured a naturalistic forest floor scene, complete with a snake, lizard and frog climbing on rocks around a watering hole with lilies, ferns, and grasses as well as a gnarled branch and oak leaves to the rear, and a tablet to the front inscribed “Avisseau a tours 1856.” This grotto made $14,000. And every majolica auction includes an extensive selection of oyster plates. Of special interest selling in the 2017 edition was a Minton revolving oyster server molded as a large green and purple mottled circular tray. The border consisted of 12 oyster serving wells around a green central medallion with a stylized flower head center. The pedestal base featured a border of pink and white shells. At 15 ½ inches in diameter and four inches high, this oyster server sold for $3,750 “We were very pleased with the auction,” Strawser said. “It went very well. We had a 95 percent sell-through rate, and the sale total was $780,000.” For more information call 260-854-2859 or visit www.strawserauctions.com |