The Quarterly Publication of the Majolica International...

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The Quarterly Publication of the Majolica International Society

Inside this issue:

• Reasons to Attend MIS Conventions • Convention April 25-28, 2013, Chicago • Historical Majolica Tiles in Chicago • First Pocket Album: “Majolica Inspiration” • 2013 Convention: Visits The American Toby Jug Museum • BARD - A Response to Fashion • 2013 Convention Visits Art Institute • Frances Rothschild Hosts Western States Brunch – 2nd Installment • PBS: “As Time Goes By” • Cat--A—Tonic • The Variations of the Minton Cat Majolica

• Jim and Gerri Trout Collection at Auction • Members: Remembering Jim Trout

• Give MIS Memberships as Gifts! • Finding Mimi – Update • Can’t is Not an Option – Jerry @ Aviva • Thomas Forester Encore! • At Home: A Short History of Private Life - A Book by Bill Bryson • “RED” the Thriller Movie & Majolica? • BARD – 2014 Majolica Symposium in

NYC ★★ SAVE THIS DATE ★★

July 2013

Majolica Matters Thanks to: 2013 Majolica Pavilion Dealers ★Corinne Agesilas - Dallas, Texas ★Lisa Gaffney - Sharon, Connecticut ★Philippe Meunier & Jean Defrocourt - Paris, France ★Carmen Pattinson - Yorkshire, England ★David Tulk, Madelena Antiques - North Frambridge, England ★Charles Washburne - Solebury, PA

Reasons to attend MIS Conventions by Wanda Matthes 1. Everyone you meet is addicted to majolica and none of us are trying to recover…as a matter of fact, we all want more!

2. We understand each other! 3. We like each other! 4. We like to hang out with each other! 5. We love to share experiences and learn from each other! 6. We love to see great collections of majolica, only open to our attendees, and then be able to discuss the experience with each other! 7. We love to visit museums with each other and be able to discuss those experiences with each other! 8. We love add to our collections by shopping with World Class dealers at Majolica Heaven! Please give me ONE good reason other than finances, family or business obligations or health NOT to attend the MIS Conventions.

“Majolica-ism”, the good addiction! Continued to page 2

MAJOLICA MATTERS July 2013

Continued from Page 1 We are all “afflicted” (more like wear a badge of honor) with a syndrome which I will call “majolica-ism”. One might call this an addiction but, unlike other addictions such as alcoholism, drug addiction or gambling addition; addiction to majolica is usually harmless, though it does share some of the same addictive tendencies as other addictions.

For instance, one develops a craving for majolica and, from time to time, losses control when buying majolica. One can also suffer from withdrawal symptoms when not buying majolica. Increased tolerance for majolica means that one craves more and more in order to feel satisfied. Another thing I have noticed is that as you become more “addicted”, you develop a taste for higher quality majolica. You want that exceptional piece, that special color, a particular genre, a particular maker… From time to time; you may need to make adjustments to your home, through adding extra shelving or even extra square footage to house your pieces.

Unlike other addictions, “majolica-ism” does not cause you bodily harm. As a matter of fact, it raises your spirits, even as it lowers your bank balance. Owning majolica is a tactile experience…something you can touch. It is a visual experience…something you can see. It is a source of pride, something you can share. We all have our special “taste” in majolica, and, of course, we all love to “hear” about majolica. Then there is that sweet “smell” of success when you bring home a prized piece.

Other addictions stifle the spirit, but “majolica-ism” brings out our competiveness as well as our creativity. Whether our passion is tea pots, cheese keepers, garden seats, or a combination of all, we are all collectors who love our collections and we enjoy spending time together from time to time.

I hope that you will come and hang out with us next time… Wanda

Convention April 25-28, 2013, Chicago by Wanda Matthes

Tuesday, April, 24, 2013: Duane and Wanda arrived at the Chicago Holiday Inn Merchandise Mart on Orleans Street in Chicago, which happens to be the old Sun Times Building. The hotel begins on the 15th floor and has a walk way over to the Merchandise Mart where the International Antiques Fair and Majolica Heaven will take place. Once we checked into our room on the 21st floor, it was time to explore the city…The weather was not cooperating (rather cold with a drizzle of rain

coming down), but we did find a nice antique shop with oriental antiques. They did have a few pieces of majolica, so that lifted our spirits. Wednesday, April 25th, 2012: Joan Stacke Graham and Ed Flower have both arrived from New York so now we had “playmates”. Again the weather was “icky” but we donned our rain ware and walked outside anyway. We took Joan and Ed back to the shop we have visited on Tuesday. After a pleasant “run through” we asked about other antique shops nearby. We were directed to a shop a few blocks away which was packed and stacked with antiques, some of which were desirable. As we entered we were greeted by the shop keeper who said, “Pay no attention to the prices! Everything is on sale!” Unfortunately everything was $5000 or $500 and Ed privately said that they must have a misunderstanding of the decimal point since things marked $5000 should have been $500”. Oh well! It was cheap entertainment for the four of us. Ed was meeting family for dinner so Duane and I made plans to have dinner with Joan, along with dealers, Jean DeFrocourt and Philippe Meunier. After dinner we walked back to the hotel (all indoors) and met up with other MIS members who were practicing their social skills at the hotel bar. Thursday, April 26th, 2012: The morning began with having breakfast in the hotel restaurant. Joan was already seated at a table so we joined her. Later Ed drifted in and joined us. Carol and Jim Harkess, Convention Chairs; Laurie Wirth, MIS President; Amy Griffin, MIS Treasurer; and many others gathered as time went on. We also met new MIS members, Georgina and Charles Businaro, and first time attendees, Lexie and Thad Grzesiak, and Lorraine Halpern, along with many long-time MIS friends. Mimi Kerson, longtime collector and dealer, whom we had not seen in years, arrived with her daughter, Allison. What a treat! 1:30-3:00pm: Meeting Registration in the Lobby of the Holiday Inn 3:00pm: Majolica Heaven Preview Party Our first “real” event of the convention, our beloved and much anticipated Majolica Heaven and Convention Gala, began at 3:00 p.m. in the Merchandise Mart. Members swarmed in like bees to honey the minute the doors opened. There we found, as usual, an extraordinary array of Victorian Majolica…Pieces we had never seen or rarely ever seen before. There were also many great small surprises… a rare Minton sugar bowl, a cup and saucer to complete that tea set and, of course, those monumental, nearly one of kind pieces, one only hopes to one day find. Here we met, for the first time, our hosts for our home visit, Ronald and


Christina Gidwitz. Steve and Carol Mullins from the American Toby Jug Museum also attended.

American Political Party icons could be found as very impressive monumental majolica figures

5:00-10:00pm: Merchandise Mart International Antiques Fair Preview Party At 5:00 p.m. the Chicago International Antiques Fair opened its doors where we now had a full array of antiques dealers showing their wares. Two of our Majolica Heaven dealers, who carry a diverse inventory, David Tulk and Lisa Gaffney, each manned a second booth in the International Antiques Fair, to show their other wares. There was so much great food and drink available to us that we cancelled our dinner plans, ate at the show, and then went back to the hotel to spend quality time at the hotel with our MIS friends.

Member’s captured this Chicago River photo from the Holiday Inn Lobby Bar

Friday, April 27, 2013: 8:00 a.m. Breakfast –Western Stages Room, Holiday Inn Merchandise Mart:

8:30-9:00am: Member presentation by Jim Harkess, “The Mysteries of Forester Uncovered” Jim gave a wonderful and thought provoking talk and Power Point presentation on his research on Thomas Forester. He discussed the lack of marks on so many Forester pieces. He also discussed the brush mark “H” on many of these otherwise unmarked pieces and dubbed the “H” as Harriett. He had even located a photo of the paintress, Harriett to show us. 10:10am: Bus leaves for the Chicago Art Institute 12:00 Noon: Bus leaves Art Institute for trip to Randi Swartz’s shop, Raven and Dove Antiques and Gift Shop We had a great box lunch on the bus with lots of bonding time. Randi was a wonderful hostess with an adorable shop. Thank you Randi! 2:00-3:00pm: American Toby Jug Museum Tour, Evanston, Illinois, courtesy of member, Steve Mullins This was a great experience with figural pitchers from antique to modern day. The biggest “hit” of the day was a very impressive wolf “hunter” pitcher. Steve allowed us to take him out of the locked case for multiple photos… There was a lot of discussion as to his maker. Some members suggested that he might have been made by the English maker, Brownfield, but to date, no one really knows. We only know that if this big bad wolf ever comes to market, he will be VERY EXPENSIVE! The “lust” factor was extremely high in the room!

Wolf at hunt with hunting boots and his catch on a stick over his shoulder. Brownfield?


Side view of the Wolf, in his case, alongside a very green Cockatoo. Brownfield?

A very tired but happy group of “majolicaittes” returned to the hotel. This evening was left “free” of planned activities to allow members to have a special evening on our own in the great city of Chicago or to return to the International Antiques Fair. Saturday, April, 27, 2013, 7:45 a.m.: Again, we had breakfast together in the hotel in the Western Stage Meeting Room. “Pocket Album” Presentations: Darci Iola, Thad and Lexie Grzesiak, Deborah English, Carol Harkess, Laurie Wirth, Carolyn Brownawell, David Tulk, and Hubert des Forges shared parts of their collection. Hubert was unable to attend for health reasons but had forwarded photos of his collection of French majolica frog pieces which Wanda Matthes presented to the group. 9:30am: Off to the Driehaus Museum The Museum immerses visitors in Gilded Age-era decorative arts, design, and architecture, all in the culturally and historically significant setting of one of the grandest residential buildings of 19th-century Chicago, the Samuel M. Nickerson Mansion. We saw only one very large majolica jardinière but there were many great things to see and wonderful architecture. Great experience!!! 1:00-2:00pm: “Majolica Forum” at the Merchandise Mart with Joan Stacke Graham and all of the Majolica Heaven dealers contributing.

This was very well attended with eighty to one hundred people present. About 50% of these people were not part of our group but VERY interested in majolica. Yea! 3:00-4:00pm: Visit to home of Ronald and Christina Gidwitz and their outstanding collection of 19th century French and Portuguese Palissy ware. Unforgettable, fantastic, breathtaking…this was one of those moments we felt so privileged to experience. Thank you Ronald and Christina for inviting us to your home!

MIS members, Christina and Ronald Gidwitz act on many boards and trusts. Among them are Governors of the Boys & Girls Clubs of America and as trustees

for Chicago Museum of Science and Industry 5:00-6:00pm: Cocktail Party, hosted by Donna and David Reis at the “Clare Building” Ooh la la! What a view! What great food and drinks! What a great time! Thank you Donna and David!

The eastern view of Lake Michigan from our party in the Clare Building


8:00pm: Gala Dinner in the LaSalle Ballroom Keynote speaker, Stuart Slavin, VP, Skinner Auction House (member of the Antiques Road Show since the beginning); spoke to us about his experiences as an auctioneer and the constant search for a treasure. Great dinner! Great talk! Thank you Stuart! Sunday, April, 29th, 2013: Annual Meeting and Breakfast President, Laurie Wirth-Melliand, lead the discussions on plans for the future… Our next special event, which hopefully will be well attended, will be the Bard Symposium in NYC, May 15-17, 2014. Watch for further details on this event. After the meeting, MIS members were free to go back to the International Antiques Fair or depart for home. Another great MIS Convention filled with once in a lifetime experiences! Thanks to all who made this event happen, especially, Laurie, Carol and Jim!

Historical Majolica Tiles in Chicago by Win and Pat Hock

Close-up of the "Spanish" tiles

The year 1929 was a significant year for American architecture. The architect Walter W. Ahlschlager designed a number of buildings throughout the United States, including the 42 story Medinah Athletic Club in Chicago. The Medinah Athletic Club, now the Hotel Intercontinental Chicago, combined elements of many different architectural styles. At the eighth floor the Indiana limestone facade was decorated by three large relief carvings in ancient Assyrian style. Three Sumerian warriors were also carved into the facade at the twelfth floor setback, and remain visible today above the Michigan Ave. entrance. In the heart of the tower, the club featured a twenty-third floor miniature golf course complete with water hazards.

Overview of the pool and tile wall On the fourteenth floor there is a junior Olympic size swimming pool which, at the time of its opening, was one of the highest indoor pools in the world. The actor (famous for his role as Tarzan) and Olympic swimmer Johnny Weissmuller trained in these waters. The particular item of interest, that drew us to see the pool, is the thousands of beautiful "Spanish" majolica tiles that surround the walls of the pool and the terra-cotta fountain of Neptune on the east wall. The majolica tiles and fountain remain virtually untouched since they were installed nearly eighty-five years ago. The pictures illustrate the lasting beauty of the tiles and fountain. The pool and its decorative ceramics are truly a remarkable legacy to another time.

Pat and Win sitting at the terra-cotta fountain


Pat lounging in front of the Majolica tile wall

First Pocket Album: “Majolica Inspiration” by Darci Iola

At Convention 2013 we started a new member discussion tool called “Pocket Albums”. Darci Iola was the first member to share her personal Pocket Album (a short series of personal photographs from ones collection). Darci went above and beyond when she composed and sang the following composition to the tune of “I Have a Little Dreidel”. We have included only 3 of her 16 photos.

Darci Iola entertaining the Convention with her “Majolica Inspiration” song and Pocket Album

I have a big fat rooster He’s happy as can be He poses in my window And cocks his head at me!

He really loves the lilies That makes him look so grand If Massier could see him He’d give me quite the hand!

An orchid in the castle Is beautiful to see But I really need that cheese keep George Jones, he would agree!

Now we come to dog plates With swans, blue tit and dove But the master of this forest Is the stag that I just love!

Etruscan plates adorn the wall Next to the fruit and hare While vintage harvesters, lady and gent Flank each side of swan jardinière

This is my favorite cache pot With Rörstrand pedigree Because I love it so much – A jewelry box it shall be!

Versailles has the hall of mirrors Residing there in France My hallway is much better – 14 bread platters at a glance!

But the bargain of Strawser auction That only I could see Is hanging in my bathroom And means the world to me. She was only $15 – a day 1 pass-it-up An Austrian large platter – I wonder if there’s a cup??

And on my dining table In pride of place for all to see Massier’s majestic grasshopper With candelabra by his knees

What’s the point of all my singing? You’re saying to yourself I’m hoping I’ve inspired you To add more majolica to your shelf!!

He poses in my window and cocks his head at me!

An orchid in the castle, is beautiful to see


And on my dining table, in pride of place for all to see. Massier’s majestic grasshopper, with candelabra

by his knees Obviously Pocket Albums was a hit and will be continued at future society gatherings! We would also like to THANK the other members who constructed and then presented their Pocket Albums at Convention 2013.

Deborah English Carol Harkess Lexie and Thad Grzesiak Laurie Wirth Carolyn Brownawell David Tulk Hubert des Forges: because Hubert was absent, due to heath reasons, his Frogs Album was presented by Wanda Matthes Three other members submitted Albums for future uses. Watch for more Pocket Albums in Majolica Matters!!!!

2013 Convention: Visits The American Toby Jug Museum by Duane Matthes

What a grand time we had with MIS member Stephen Mullins at his American Toby Jug Museum, in Evanston, Illinois. This was my first experience and it was fantastic. Far beyond any visions that I would have had of this experience. It was so exciting to see all the period pieces from the 1700’s to the current day!

The American Toby Jug Museum is home to more than 8,000 Toby and Character jugs, and related derivatives from around the globe. The collection spans the Centuries and features characters representing the times in which they were made, from the oldest dating back to the 1760’s to the most recent ones still in production. It is the largest collection in the world, and is on display and open to the public. The pieces which drew the most interest were the French and English majolica character and animal jugs. What a collection!!!

Rare Sarreguemines, Levrier (Greyhound) pitcher, France, c. 1920

Extremely Rare, St Clement Leopard pitcher,

France, c. 1905


Salin, Perdrix (Partridge) Pitcher, France, c. 1910

Mouse Milk Pitchers, Royal Bayreuth, Tettau, Bavaria, c. 1900 - 1912

BARD - A Response to Fashion

by Gaye Blake-Roberts

The internet video rebroadcast of the May 7, 2013 Bard Graduate Center presentation in New York - continues to be available online. If you missed it, you have more opportunities, on your own time, and at your own speed. BARD has a copy hosted for us at the following BARD link: http://vimeo.com/65927768 If you are asked for a PASSWORD = majolica

2013 Convention Visits Art Institute by Duane Matthes

Arrival of the Normandy Train, Gare Saint-Lazare, oil on canvas, by Frenchman Claude Monet, c. 1877

While I was growing up in Chicago, I visited the Art Institute of Chicago many times. And Wanda and I have been there on several occasions. Most of the time, we spent our visits with paintings and Picasso’s. This time we concentrated on ceramics. What follows is a few of our finds in the collections of the Chicago Art Institute.

Detail of the double faced lid from the handle side.

First we found this wonderful and whimsical tea pot which Nicholas Dawes had included in his Victorian presentations several times. It was designed by Englishman James Handley, c. 1882 for the Royal Worcester Company. It is glazed and enameled Parian ware. What a joy to see it up close!


The above photos show both sides of the pot. The Lord and his sunflower boutonnière on top and the

Lady with her lily bouquet below

Rabbit Tureen, Chelsea Porcelain Manufactory, London, England, c. 1755/6

Our next find was this beautiful rabbit tureen decorated in shades of mauve. As we so often find… the rabbits big ears serve as a handy lid finial. My last sharing is from the exterior of the Art Institute. It is Wanda in front of one of a pair of iconic Lions, flanking the entrance to the Art Institute of Chicago. Artist, Edward Kemeys' lions are among the city’s most beloved and recognizable sculptures. A largely self-taught artist who became famous for his sculptures of wild animals, Edward Kemeys (1843-1907), established a studio in Chicago in 1892. The following year, the World’s Columbian Exposition in Jackson Park showcased twelve of his sculptures in plaster including massive jaguars, bears, and bison. At the fair, Kemeys’ lions were placed at the entrance to the Fine Arts Palace (now the Museum of Science and Industry).

Notice the Loin’s great bronze patina is worn off its long tail. It is said to be “good luck” to pet the tails!

Please send your comments and material for the newsletter to:

Wanda Matthes

3801 Indigo Drive Plano, Texas

Phone: 972 – 596 - 2964 eMail: [email protected]


Frances Rothschild Hosts Western States Brunch – 2nd Installment by Maryanne Leckie This is the second installment of the pictures and memories of the brunch eleven members of the Western States Region enjoyed on February 2, 2013! It was held at the elegant and lovely home of Judge Fran Rothschild in Bel-Air. We had additional pictures of members and Fran’s collection that we wanted to share with everyone. We enjoyed her extensive collection and the information she shared about her favorite pieces.

Maryanne Leckie, Marti Marx and Delorise Miller Kitchen wall with a tower of Palissy platters

And Fran said “this little piggy cried wee, wee, all the way home”.

Fran helps the group understand some of her French figural pitchers

Michael Foley was checking to see if the potted plants needed water.


Palissy Style Vase with Putti

Botanical Prints with a pair of Palissy style vases on wall brackets

PBS: “As Time Goes By” by Duane Matthes A favorite Sunday night thing to do in our house is to watch the British comedy sitcom “As Time Goes By” on PBS. One Sunday night in March, Wanda and I saw this living room scene in the London flat of Jean (Judi Dench) and Lionel’s (Geoffrey Palmer) and caught this half glance of this English majolica platter on their coffee table. If you follow the series the platter is not there in every episode. It must have been a dress-up occasion for the coffee table and they brought out extra props.

Soiled desert plate, desert cups and a decorative

majolica Pineapple Platter

Cat--A—Tonic by Moe Wizenburg

This is a reprint of a 2001 “Majolica Matters” article about Jim Trout.

Jim Trout with his Minton majolica Cat Pitcher

booty after an auction win! In keeping with the tradition established by our first editor, Dr. Howard Silby, we will now deal with a medical topic. If you were to ask the MIS resident majolica guru and psychiatrist Marilyn Karmason for the definition of catatonic she would probably give you a learned explanation about the catatonic variety of schizophrenia. There is however a much more important meaning to catatonic, namely “describing a particularly exhilarating stimulus produced by proximity to or possession of Minton majolica cats.” Notice the pleased appearance of Jim Trout as he examines or perhaps fondles a Minton cat just prior to the Sotheby’s Auction of January 22nd, 2001, at which he formally adopted the cat. If that isn't a picture of someone getting a tonic I don't know what one is! Jim now has a modest family of 3 Minton cats of which he is the justifiably proud owner (not father). Ask him to show you their pictures when you see him at the annual meeting. As you know, Jim passed away this spring, having enjoyed his cats for many years. Wanda


The Variations of the Minton Cat by Michael Strawser

Four Minton Cats versions Over the years I have had the opportunity to sell a few Minton cat figural pitchers in our auctions. As you know, these cats are very hard to find. Each cat was sold a few years after the other so I didn’t really keep track of what the color was of each one.

The whimsy of the Minton Cat Pitcher shows the little mouse he has trapped under his left front paw!

I recently was able to photograph four Minton cat pitchers at one time. It gave me the chance to look at each one and compare them to each other. The molds were all the same but the color variations were quite different. One was white with some gray/black tiger effect on its back, another was tan/black tiger color all over, one was white with brown and tan coloring on the back and the other one was a brown and black calico. Having now seen the color variation of the four Minton cat pitchers it makes me wonder how many other color variations are there.

I also photographed a Minton cat on base figure that has gray and black tiger coloring.

Minton Cat on base figural, with Glass Eyes

Details of several Minton Cats

How many color variations of the cat are there?


Jim and Gerri Trout Collection at Auction by Michael Strawser

We are pleased to offer the Jim and Gerri Trout majolica collection in our Fall Majolica Auction on October 25 & 26, 2013 in Hatfield, Pennsylvania. Jim and Gerri have been long time members of the Majolica International Society and attended many of the annual meetings as well as our auctions over the years. Jim recently passed away and Gerri decided to send the collection to auction.

The Trout’s Family Room majolica pine shelf!!!! The Trout’s were avid collectors of figural pitchers and other fine pieces of majolica. The collection includes the Minton cat figure included in the Minton Cat article as well as the Calico Minton cat pitcher. Other figural pitchers include the rare Onnaing bulldog, several hard to find George Dreyfus animal pitchers, Edward Steele frog on lily pad pitchers and many others. If you want more insight into the Trout collection go back to the archives and reread the September 2010 issue of Majolica Matters!

Jim and Gerri Trout Collection includes a rare

Onnaing Bulldog Pitcher!

October Auction also includes - Feldman Collection We have also been commissioned to sell the Marilyn Feldman majolica collection.

Very rare Minton yellow wicker Cheese Keeper from

the Feldman Collection Mrs. Feldman’s families were from the Chicago area and were the owners of the Yellow Cab Company. Mrs. Feldman was an avid collector of majolica for many years. Some of the pieces included in the auction from her collection is the very rare Minton yellow wicker cheese keeper, a George Jones thatched hut cheese keeper and several other interesting majolica pieces

George Jones thatched hut Cheese Keeper from

Feldman Collection


Members: Remembering Jim Trout This is how MIS member Jim Trout is remembered by fellow members! When we received the sad news of Jim Trout's passing I recalled the first time I met Jim. It was the early years of the Society when Jerry was the President and the Convention Chair and the Board made the decision that all the Board members and partners should sit at different tables instead of together. I went to a table and a very tall gentleman stood up and said his name was Jim Trout and would I sit on the side of his good ear. I said that was fine. Nick Dawes was the speaker (and had just written a book on Majolica and had taken pictures of our collection) and I told Jim that there may be some pictures of my Majolica and that I would poke him gently in the arm to let him know it was on screen. Well, Jim got poked a lot and told everyone about the pain and I made a wonderful friend for many years. His name was Jim Trout and I am not alone when I say we will miss him and those special early years.

Aviva Leberfeld

Jim could never pass up a good Frog. Especially the

Edward Steele Frog! Deborah English remembered she had this collection photo from Jim. He called the photo his "Frog Chorus"

The Majolica International Society will forever remember Jim as a very gentle man, top MIS executive, passionate and intelligent collector, and most of all as very good friend. He was always worth a thousand interesting stories. He was a man that traveled hundreds of miles to bring home one more Minton Cat. We loved you Jim.

Duane and Wanda Matthes The first time I met Jim must have been 15 years ago or so when he lived in Kansas. He drove to Indiana with a large number of pieces to consign to one of my auctions. He was thinning his collection.

He drove the collection from Kansas in a Toyota Celica. Then this tall guy got out of his car and I could believe how many pieces of majolica he could get in a two seat sports car. I always enjoyed him coming to the auctions. A great guy who will truly be missed.

Michael Strawser

Give MIS Memberships as Gifts! by Duane Matthes

The gift of a MIS membership to an interested friend or family member seems like the perfect opportunity to broaden Gthe base of an organization that provides intellectual stimulation, rewarding friendships, and encourages the pursuit of this historical pottery. Collecting majolica has contributed to enriching my life through humor, beauty, and an increasing appreciation of our not too distant past. Quite frankly, I can't think of a better Christmas present. A gift membership application can be done by going to the MIS web page at the link below. When you get to that page just print the page and fill out the boxes on the printout! Use the personal information of the person you want to receive the gift. If you have their email address please include it on the form. Then follow the mailing instructions on the form -- sending a check for the membership dues amount and the completed form to the included address. The treasurer makes sure that the new member gets added to the membership list, a password to the private area, and the back copies of Majolica Matters.

www.majolicasociety.com/membership.htm

Finding Mimi - Update by Duane Matthes Last Issue noted that we found Mimi Kersun but we gave you the wrong eMail address. Following is the corrected email: If you’re going to be in Jacksonville

Contact Mimi at: [email protected]

She now has cases at Avonlea Gallery, 8101 Philips Highway, Jacksonville, FL 32256.


Can’t is Not an Option – Jerry @ Aviva by Duane Matthes

Gerald Leberfeld, one of the small group of founders of our Majolica International Society, former President and also meeting chairperson has written a book entitled "Can't is not an Option". It's about living the American dream which of course includes building his fabulous Majolica collection that many of us have had the good fortune to visit, but if

you haven’t we have included the following photographs. For those of you who know Jerry and Aviva you will surely want to acquire this memoir and for those who do not it's a chance to get to know them. It's presently available at the f0olling Amazon.com link: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=978-0615801841

1990 found Jerry & Aviva having “Majolica Fun”

The Story of a Man Who Did It His Way What exactly is the American dream? Jerry Leberfeld began as a poor Jewish kid in Rockaway Beach and ended up as an entrepreneur who counts politicians,

business icons, and celebrities as the same kind of friends as the guys he grew up with. For Jerry, living the American dream is striving to reach your potential without forgetting your roots. Jerry paints an entertaining picture of his upbringing in Rockaway Beach during its glory days. He tells about falling in love and marrying Aviva, his life companion and a Holocaust survivor, and their struggles as young parents, about working full time, graduating college, and his struggles in the corporate world while anti-Semitism was rampant. After eighteen years in corporate America, Jerry risked his career to pursue his dream. He left his secure job, then rolled up his sleeves and got to work. Over the next decades Jerry founded four successful companies, the first of which was Art Expo, the largest and most successful fine-arts fair. He talks about relationships with celebrity artists including Andy Warhol, Peter Max, Tony Bennett, Marcel Marceau, Luciano Pavarotti, Donna Summer, Salvador Dali, Erté, and politicians such as NYC Mayor Ed Koch and NY Senator Jacob Javits. After selling Art Expo to a Fortune 500 company, Jerry could have retired but he didn’t slow down. He pushed to reopen the NY Coliseum with the still-talked-about NY Coliseum Antique Show. He even volunteered to accept a UN consulting assignment, an adventure to Indonesia, which explains how he became a guest at the royal wedding along with Indonesian President Suharto. Woven throughout his book are instructive details and fascinating anecdotes on how to survive the bureaucracy of government and union pressures as well as guidelines and rules on how to start and succeed in a new business with limited capital and a good work ethic. At age 73 when Jerry was struck with myasthenia gravis, a debilitating autoimmune disease, he kept up his productivity by focusing on what he could still do, not what the illness took from him. Jerry acts in local theater, consults future entrepreneurs, and, fortunately for us, he picked up a pen. Jerry believes the times we now live in aren’t as bright as they were when he was growing up, and he is far from certain about the future of his grandchildren’s generation. In this book, he shares Horatio Alger-type stories to help keep this current generation’s dreams alive and offers advice gleaned from his almost eighty years of hard work and living the American dream. The following photographs are some of the treasures from Jerry and Aviva’s collections.


Punch, Minton Menu Holder, 10 ½” tall

Fox Glove, Minton Vases, 12 ½” Tall

Japanize, Minton Jardinière, 13 1/3” high x 22 ½”

wide, designed by Christopher Dresser

Swan Pitcher, Wedgwood 13” tall

Tête-à-Tête - Six Piece Tea Set, Minton

Conservatory Seat with Wooden Base,

Minton 29” high x 22” wide


Rabbit on Tortoise Box, Wedgwood, 8” wide, RARE

Owl Vases, Minton 8 ¼” tall, designed by

Christopher Dresser

Bat Finial Tea Pot, Minton 5” tall, designed by Christopher Dresser

Elephant Trunk Legged Bowl, Wedgwood, 6 ½” tall

x 10 ½” wide, designed by Christopher Dresser

Jerry & Aviva still having fun in 1997 on a visit to

Nic Boston’s London shop.

Majolica Bird in the Martin Brothers Style,

attributed to Julius Dressler, 11” tall


Thomas Forester - Encore! by Wanda Matthes I have a large collection of monkey pitchers with banana leaf and bamboo handle. These are documented in Karmason, Stacke, p. 135, showing a graduated set of four. There they are labeled as unattributed monkey pitchers. They are part of the section on Unattributed English Majolica.

The front and back views of a very well glazed

Monkey Banana Leaf pitcher, 11” tall.

My Monkey Banana Leaf pitchers hang in our family room on and around an iron coat rack just made for

monkeys! I have always thought they were English but they were labeled as French in an auction, once upon a time, and I find that the Karmason Library also identifies them as French. I totally disagree…the glaze (which sometimes in not great, especially in the interior) is consistent with English majolica. The color of the interior is majolica pink, unlike “French” pink. I own a total of seven of these guys in graduated sizes, ranging from 5.25” to 10.75”, but never looked too carefully at the painters markings on the bases until recently when a client wanted a set of three graduated sizes and, of course, I was trying to make a sale so I took one from my collection to make the graduation correct and noticed that it seemed to have the same “H” (I believe this is a Harriet), referring to Jim Harkess talk on Thomas Forester which he presented to attendees at the MIS Convention in Chicago this past April. I then

discovered that a second monkey from my store inventory bore the same “H” on its base. Wow! Now if Duane would send me Jim’s presentation, I would have something to work with! Today, he accomplished my wish and, after viewing Jim’s power point presentation, I am convinced that these are indeed Forester, and some of them are painted by dear Harriett!

The full view of the Monkey Pitcher base and details

of four “H” painters marks. The one on the right looks to be something other than a “H”

Jim’s presentation included this old post card making a fun assumption of what “Harriet” might

have looked like at her job at Forester.


I am sure many of you own, one or more, of these monkey pitchers. I hope you will flip them over and look at the base and let me know what you find. Also, I would ask you to measure your pitcher or pitchers. My collection ranges from about 5” - 11”. I would love for members to start a dialogue about this pitcher which is a favorite of mine. Sizes I own, or have owned, range in exact sizes of: 5.25”, 6.5”, 7.5”, 8.5”, 8.75”, 9” and 10.75” when measured from the base straight up to the lip of the banana leaf spout. The maker, whoever his was, and the public must have liked this adorable guy, since; he was created in so many varied sizes.

At Home: A Short History of Private Life A Book by Bill Bryson by Abra Wilkin and Duane Matthes Abra noticed this book/photo on the New York Social Diary web site and wanted to bring it to our attention. I did a little web research and cut and paste to help us all understand what this book means to us majolica lovers. “YEAR” the book’s first chapter is devoted to1850 and 1851 with huge focus on the Crystal Palace. The paperback is less than $13 at www.amazon.com

Interior view of Joseph Paxton's Crystal Palace at the Great Exhibition of 1851.

Review by Liz Smith Bill Bryson's "At Home: A Short History of Private Life" is a Fascinating, Funny Exploration of How We Came to Live As We Do. (And Believe Me, You Wouldn't Want to Have Lived 125 Years Ago!) “By the middle of the nineteenth century, gargantuan portions had become institutionalized and routine. Mrs. Beeton gibes the following as a menu for a small dinner party: mock turtle soup; fillets of turbot cream; fried sole with anchovy sauce; rabbits; veal; stewed rump of beef; roasted fowls; boiled ham; a platter of roasted pigeons or larks; and, to finish, rhubarb tartlets, meringues, clear jelly, cream, rice pudding, and soufflé. This was food for six people.”

The above, digestive-disturbing quote appears in Bill Bryson’s amazing book, “At Home: A Short History of Private Life.” (So don’t carry on so when your waiter brings you a groaning plate. Nothing new!) Ostensibly, this book is about the Victorian parsonage where Bryson and his family lived. An unexceptional place of unexceptional happenings. But suddenly, Bryson found himself caught up in the history of his home — more to the point, the particulars of the place. The bedroom, kitchen, drawing room, nursery. etc. How had each of these rooms come to be? How had hundreds of years shaped the Home as we know it today? “At Home” is one of the most delightful, incisive, exhaustively studied, and truly humorous histories I have ever read. The book is not new. It was published three years ago. And why I never got around to writing about it I’ll never know. (Maybe the Kardashians got in the way!) The masterful aspect of this work is how the author segues from where he lives now, to the historical creation of each aspect of domesticity, how every room was initially conceived, who lived in them, who served in them. And the times in which each generation gestated — their attitudes, prejudices and licenses. And all joined with a great big dollop of quite funny anecdotes about each epoch.

The gates to the Crystal Palace can still be seen in

today’s Kensington Gardens.


“RED” the Thriller Movie & Majolica? by Duane Matthes and Joan Stacke Graham

In “RED”, the 2010 fast action suspense movie the title actually stands for “Retired: Extremely Dangerous”. That could be some of us MIS members, couldn’t it? I got a cell phone call from Joan Graham one July evening that said; she was watching the TNT broadcast of the movie “Red”, and that in it she just saw some Wedgwood and other majolica pieces. I was puzzled but on a mission to make Joan happy! So I did the research to try to figure out why this “shoot em up” thriller would need majolica as props. So, I watched it! Boy is it a fast moving, shoot and blast movie starring Bruce Willis. But the cast, including Helen Mirren, (Joan’s cast favorite), are all elegant and refined… until the guns come out! So maybe the set decorator needed the meeting room to be refined and chose a room with Victorian majolica! Anyway, Joan loved the movie (I did too, but I’m an adventure type guy) and she is going to run out to the movies to see the new 2013 sequel “RED2”, that has most of the same cast! No matter how much majolica the movie RED has, or how many sequels it may have it will never be Downton Abbey!!!!!

Roger Ebert gave the movie “RED” ★★. “RED” is neither a good movie nor a bad one. It features actors we like doing things we wish were more interesting. I guess the movie's moral is, these old people are still tougher than the young ones. You want tough? I'll show you tough. In one scene, Helen Mirren is gut-shot and a blood stain spreads on her white dress. In a closing scene not a day later, she's perfectly chipper and has had time to send the dress out to the cleaners.

Left to right, Mary-Louise Parker, Helen Mirren, Bruce Willis, and Morgan Freeman plot around a Eastern United States dining room table with a

simple green Wedgwood compote as a center piece!

Morgan Freeman and John Malkovich sit around an Eastern United States dining room table in front of a painted cupboard fully loaded with colorful majolica

plates and platters.

BARD – 2014 Majolica Symposium in NYC by Wanda Matthes

The Bard Graduate Center and Majolica International Society are jointly planning a 2014 Majolica Symposium for May 15 - 17, 2014, in New York, NY.

YOUMUSTSAVETHISDATE!!

The details are all in the planning stages, but the event will be available to all MIS members and the public. It will include scholarly presentations, home visits and the usual socializing with the foremost majolica collectors and dealers.

The Quarterly Publication of the Majolica International...

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