Past Auction

The Joan Stacke Graham Majolica Collection: Part II

Tue, Apr 04, 2023 at 10am EDT |

New York

Auction of The Joan Stacke Graham Majolica Collection: Part II on Tuesday, April 4, 2023
Important and Extensive Collection Assembled by Majolica Expert and Author of 'Majolica: A Complete History and Illustrated Survey'

NEW YORK, NY -- On April 4, 2023, Doyle held the landmark auction of The Joan Stacke Graham Majolica Collection: Part II. Showcased was exceptional examples from the extensive collection assembled by the Majolica expert and author of Majolica: A Complete History and Illustrated Survey. This remarkable sale soared past its presale estimate with a total sold of over $544,000. The top lot, an iconic Mintons Majolica Hare and Duck Head Game-Pie Dish and Cover, sold for $62,225.

Joan Stacke Graham (1934-2020) was a preeminent expert in the field of majolica – the brilliantly hued ceramics that filled the hearts and homes of Victorian collectors. Joan began collecting majolica in the 1980s with her friend Marilyn Karmason. Together, they amassed over 2,000 pieces and authored the first major book on the field, Majolica: A Complete History and Illustrated Survey (Abrams: 1989). Joan was a generous collector and scholar, serving as past President of the Majolica International Society.

In 2020 through early 2023, Joan and her family loaned significant parts of her collection to the long-anticipated Majolica Mania exhibition at the Bard Graduate Center and The Walters Art Gallery in the U.S. and The Potteries Museum & Art Gallery in Stoke-on-Trent, U.K.

The Joan Stacke Graham Majolica Collection features garden seats and garden pots, life-sized animals, soup tureens, game pie dishes, sardine boxes, oyster and strawberry plates, humidors and myriad other forms that originally filled the conservatories, dining rooms and parlors of Victorian collectors.

This encyclopedic collection includes many works by Mintons, the firm that introduced majolica to great acclaim at London’s 1851 Great Exhibition. There are also pieces in the Part II sale from Wedgwood and George Jones, whose majolica works are known for their great wit and whimsy. The Continental pieces in the collection include a number of trompe l’oeil Palissy wares featuring naturalistically modeled snakes, frogs, and other marine creatures. The collection is rounded out by American majolica by Griffen, Smith & Hill, George Morley & Co., and Shorter & Boulton.

PAYMENT
Please note that all purchases are subject to a Buyer's Premium
Payment can be made in the following ways:
· By credit card (an additional 3.5% fee will be charged)
· By wire transfer. For instructions, please email [email protected]

PICKUPS & SHIPPING
For information, please contact [email protected]