“Cauliflower” tea pot, shape no. E13

Majolica, earthenware mass-produced using molds and hand painted with brightly colored lead- glazes, was popular in America in the 1870s and ‘80s, a phenomenon that became known as the "majolica craze." Its imaginative forms, elaborately modeled shapes, and brightly painted decoration fulfilled the American middle-class desire for aesthetically minded but affordable ceramics. Following majolica’s origins in the pottery region of Staffordshire and the British domination of the market, American manufacturers, often immigrants from England, began to produce their own wares and supply local demand.



Griffen, Smith & Hill of Phoenixville, Pennsylvania, was one of the most prolific and successful American manufacturers of majolica. Their line of majolica, "Etruscan Majolica," was marked by brilliant pastel colors and crisp modeling. The "cauliflower" tea pot was a direct imitation of a British product. This example derives additional interest from its unusual pastel pink decoration around the cabbage leaves. This pink addition was unique to Griffin, Smith & Hill and created a visual harmony with much of the other pottery which included pink interiors or accents.