19th-Century Majolica Rabbit Plates and Mugs

Appraised on: June 16, 2001

Appraised in: Miami, Florida

Appraised by: Stuart Slavid

Category: Pottery & Porcelain

Episode Info: Jackpot! (#1116)

Originally Aired: May 7, 2007

IMAGE: 1 of 1  

Appraisal Video: (1:50)

GUEST: Well, I went to a garage sale in Plantation, probably over 30 years ago, and these were for sale there. And I have 14 plates like this and 12 mugs.

APPRAISER: Mm-hmm.

GUEST: I've always loved them. I just think they're beautiful.

APPRAISER: So it was just really the attraction of the bunnies that brought you to them?

GUEST: Yes, yes.


APPRAISER: Well,tThese generically would be called majolica.

GUEST: Yes.

APPRAISER: Majolica is very competitive today, and in fact, in 19th-century pottery, it's probably one of the most competitive areas of pottery. The rabbits that drew you to the plates also draw a lot of other collectors to the plates. The mugs are especially unusual. We rarely, rarely see mugs. The plates are very often marked by the retailer, and they were retailed by this Higgins & Seiter out of New York. And they had these made. We don't see them that often, and when we do see them, we see them in very small quantities. So the fact that you have 14 plates and 12 mugs adds to the value. Now, do you recall what you paid for them back then?

GUEST: I really don't recall, but I know it was less than $10.

APPRAISER: For the whole thing, less than $10?

GUEST: Yes, yes, yes.

APPRAISER: Well, right now, the plates are retailing anywhere in the area of $300 to $400 each.

GUEST: Oh, my goodness.

APPRAISER: Okay? And the mugs are actually bringing in the area of $400 to $500 each.

GUEST: Oh, oh, my goodness.

APPRAISER: So if you could do the multiplication on that, I mean, you've done very, very well on your $10 investment.

GUEST: Wonderful. I had no idea they were worth that much.

APPRAISER: They're very competitive on the market today, as I say, especially the mugs. We rarely, rarely see the mugs showing up and to have that quantity is really, really pretty exciting.

GUEST: Well, I appreciate it and I'm really, really, really surprised that they're worth that much.