Delft Pastoral Scene Tile

On April 9, 2011, in Foreign Tiles, by nancy

Made in Delft, The Netherlands   Circa 17th/early 18th Century This rare Dutch hand-painted blue and white tile has the characteristic thick depth, rich glaze, peppering, bold “Ox Head” corner decoration, and refined painting that are hallmarks of early Delft ware.   This tile depicts a man and a woman in a beautifully detailed pastoral [...]

Mexican Talavera-Style Floral Tile

On April 9, 2011, in Foreign Tiles, by nancy

Unknown Tile Maker, Mexico   Circa 1940-1960′s We have a large supply of this shiny blue and white tile from Mexico.  It came from a Los Angeles kitchen that was recently remodeled.  It has an attractive repeating floral pattern and can be used in a number of ways.  There is still some mortar on the [...]

Portuguese Flow Blue Tile

On April 6, 2011, in Foreign Tiles, by nancy

Unknown Tile Maker, Portugal   Circa 1900 Lovely Delft-style glossy antique tiles from Portugal, over 100 years old.  
Made using the flow blue process, the cobalt blue blurs during firing by adding lime and/or ammonium chloride to the kiln.
  The intensity of the “flow” varies, and can be seen in the photo.  
It is now [...]

Mexican Tile with Bird on Pineapple

On March 24, 2011, in Foreign Tiles, by nancy

Unknown Tile Maker, Mexico   Circa 1930-1940 Very charming and sweet old tile from Mexico, signed by the artist, CB.  
The whimsical design has a bird sitting on a pineapple plant.  
The high-glazed colors include off white, green, rust, yellow and blue, all outlined in black.
  Could be a focal point in a kitchen back [...]

Tunisian Geometric Tile

On February 27, 2011, in Foreign Tiles, by nancy

Unknown Tile Maker, Tunisia     Circa 1900′s There are four matte glaze colors making up this star within a circle pattern.   We don’t know who made this old tile, but love its attractive design.  Priced separately. 5  3/4″ x 3/4″ thick Good condition, some glaze skips and visible wear on edges Qty = [...]

Mexican Floral Tile

On February 27, 2011, in Foreign Tiles, by nancy

Unknown Tile Maker, Mexico   Circa 1920′s We love old Mexican tiles and unfortunately, they are getting harder to find.   This one has glossy glazes in cobalt, creamy off-white, brown, yellow and green in the center.  The edges are beveled and crazing adds to its charm. 5 1/2″ square x 1/2″ thick Great condition; [...]

Portuguese Floral Tiles/Cut

On February 9, 2011, in Foreign Tiles, by nancy

Unknown Tile Maker, Portugal   Circa late 1800′s We have a large quantity of these very old, cut Portuguese tiles.  The leaf pattern can be arranged in a number of ways; there are two sets of glaze colors, cobalt and green or cobalt and pale orange.  Mix or match, be creative and come up with [...]

Portuguese Majolica Ceiling Tiles

On February 8, 2011, in Foreign Tiles, by nancy

Unknown Tile Maker, Portugal    Circa mid 1600′s These exceptional Moorish-inspired , majolica ceiling tiles are over 350 years old.  The deeply incised quatrefoil design is decorated with richly-colored glazes.  The floral designs in the center and corner depict stylized tulips, a possible reference to the Dutch tulip “craze” which had its origins in the [...]

Maw & Co. Geometric Tile

On February 8, 2011, in Foreign Tiles, by nancy

Maw & Company, Shropshire, England   1880-present During the 1880′s this acclaimed company was the world’s largest producer of ceramic tiles.  This bright, relief molded, dust pressed tile is decorated with a classical acanthus and floral bipartite design in a rich, mocha glaze.  We estimate this tile to date back to 1900.  Can be arranged [...]

Spanish Cement Tile/Geometric

On January 28, 2011, in Foreign Tiles, by nancy

Unknown Tile Maker from Barcelona, Spain      Circa 1920′s This matte, stencil decorated floor tile was made in Barcelona, a major tile production center for centuries with a long tradition of outstanding painted tiles.  The design on this heavy cement tile is a still-fresh interpretation of a classical Moorish-inspired pattern.  The bold cobalt blue, [...]

Lamosa Round Tile with Woman

On January 27, 2011, in Foreign Tiles, by nancy

Lamosa Ladrillera, Monterrry, Mexico   Circa 1940′s Exceptional, rare, polychrome, cuerda seca roundel/tea tile/trivet crafted by the Mexican company Lamosa.   The wonderful design is of a beautiful woman wrapped in a lilac-colored shawl, wearing a traditional, embroidered blouse and balancing a bowl of fruit on her shoulder. The vellum glazes are creamy and vibrant. We understand that this factory’s [...]