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Angelina

Jun 12, 2002, 12:25 PM

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Talavera

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Interested in purchasing some Talavera. Where exactly is it made? How can you tell if it is authentic?

John R

Jun 12, 2002, 1:40 PM

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Talavera

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The most prestigious Talavera comes from the city of Puebla. There is also some good stuff made in Guanajuato state. If you are in Mexico, the most fun way is to go to Puebla and visit the Talavera companies.

oracledba

Jun 12, 2002, 6:24 PM

Post #3 of 17 (2741 views)

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Talavera

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What's Talavera?

Angelina

Jun 12, 2002, 7:18 PM

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Talavera

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Talavera -- Mexican company that is famous for its dishes--ceramic style with beautiful floral designs. I found a website: Talavera.com but it is under construction. Hopefully it will be up soon and it will have a catalogue, but I think going to the factory would be more fun! 
What's Talavera?

Despacio

Jun 12, 2002, 7:50 PM

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Talavera is a type of majolica earthenware

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Talavera is a type of majolica earthenware, a white and glazed type of ceramic. Although the Spaniards introduced this type of pottery, ironically the term Talavera is used much more in Mexico than in Talavera de la Reina, Spain. In fact, Talavera is the oldest tin-glazed ceramic in America and it is still being manufactured with the same techniques as in the 16th Century.

Jared

Jun 12, 2002, 9:45 PM

Post #6 of 17 (2740 views)

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Talavera

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: Interested in purchasing some Talavera. Where exactly is it made? How can you tell if it is authentic? Here's a link to a talavera workshop in Pueblo

Georgia

Jun 13, 2002, 5:58 AM

Post #7 of 17 (2738 views)

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Talavera

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Go to www.tierryfuego.com for all kinds of information and photographs of talavera pieces. Great site!: Interested in purchasing some Talavera. Where exactly is it made? How can you tell if it is authentic?

John R

Jun 13, 2002, 3:18 PM

Post #8 of 17 (2741 views)

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Despacio es seguro (nfm)

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: Talavera is a type of majolica earthenware, a white and glazed type of ceramic. Although the Spaniards introduced this type of pottery, ironically the term Talavera is used much more in Mexico than in Talavera de la Reina, Spain. : In fact, Talavera is the oldest tin-glazed ceramic in America and it is still being manufactured with the same techniques as in the 16th Century.

jennifer rose

Jun 13, 2002, 6:49 PM

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Talavera

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Without going into tremendous detail, the craftsmen from Talavera de la Reina branched out in three directions after landing on Mexican chores. Some stopped at Puebla, some went on to Guanajuato, and others headed for Jalisco. In each place, limited by the range of materials available, distinct styles developed. Guanajuato, and most particularly Dolores Hidalgo, continues to produce work referred to as “Talavera.” But Guanajuato Talavera, while very good in its own right and marked by a completely different glazing technique, doesn’t come close to what is known as Puebla Talavera. Mexican popular art is marked by evolution and synthesis, blending new methods and old techniques. IMHO, the standard bearer in Guanajuato is Gorky Gonzales (who was born in Morelia, not that that matters), who has rescued the traditional Mayolica and added his own touches. http://www.gorkypottery.comNow, over toward Puebla is Tlaxcala, where a goodly number of potters produce a Talavera-type product which, even though less costly, has a number of aficionados. In Puebla, to maintain the integrity of the product, about fourteen certified Talavera workshops have developed. When one speaks of the “real” Talavera, it’s Puebla.

pyt

Jan 6, 2003, 12:21 PM

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Re: [jennifer rose] Talavera

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I am planning to go to Puebla to buy dinnerware. Do all the workshops provide lead free pottery?

MarisolEnPlayas

Jan 6, 2003, 2:14 PM

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Re: [Angelina] Talavera

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Talavera is a passion of mine as well. I have collected it for years, from Mexico, Italy, Portugal and Spain. It is and has been for years, produced in all those areas and each has it's own unique patterns and designs.

The families in Puebla that are approved to sign and sell Talavera are the only ones recognized by the Mexican government to call their wonderful art Talavera, but the Majolica from other areas IS extremely beautiful as well and many even prefer it. It all depends upon your taste and what your purpose is in collecting this wonderful art form. Mexican Majolica is much less expensive for the most part than Majolica from other parts of the world and the artwork is very distinctive. I know of collectors from Europe that seek out this variety and will pay a healthy price if it's obtained from Puebla and signed by the right families.

Have fun adding to your collection. You should have many wonderful memories and pieces from your trip!

tomgibbs

Jan 6, 2003, 5:47 PM

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Re: [MarisolEnPlayas] Talavera

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Is anyone in a good position to discuss some technicals about Talavera from the major locations in Mexico? Firing temperatures, glaze safety, durability?

We've got a lot of stuff from Dolores Hidalgo. Some cups had glaze crazing on the inside from hot tea & coffee after only several uses. We handle the table stuff carefully because I feel the clay body is not fired high enough for good strength. I was looking over some of work of some of the guys Gorky Gonzales has influenced in Guanajuato and it seemed as sound as any fine craft pottery from the USA, Europe or Japan. Not surprising as I understand Sr. Gonzales spent some considerable time in Japan. Sr. Gonzales work has much better form than the run of Dolores Hidalgo work. Although, frankly, I like the less sophisticated acid colors and patterns on the Dolores Hidalgo pottery.

Here at home I’m often like the feel of the barro from the Patzcuaro area on the table as well as any, if not better. But fragile it is, and the likes of limes in a little salsa dish for 1-2 hours creates a funny effect I’d shy away from eating. But so sencillo and beautiful. I think therein lies the major aesthetic secret of Mexico. It plays a deep cord in the soul. None of the great flourishes of polish and glitz of an urbane aesthetic like we have to deal with in a more “developed” economy. It’s almost as if “developed” means reduced spiritual value. Why it should have to be so, I don’t know. The promise of modernity didn't deliver.

MarisolEnPlayas

Jan 6, 2003, 6:29 PM

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Re: [tomgibbs] Talavera

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I have to be honest with you. I have never dined on the Talavera I've collected from Mexico, because I purchase the Majolica here strictly for aesthetic reasons and collecting. I find your post fascinating though and I thank you all for the information.

I agree with you about the vibrant beauty of the colors and designs in the Majolica here, which is why I opted to collect it. The only other patterns that I feel rival Mexico's unique art are from Italy and I use this Majolica for dining purposes. Here's a site I have been using to purchase. The prices are high, but my friends told me they are pretty much the same in Italy. I'm going next year for tapestries and Majolica, so I'll find out for myself.

http://www.artistica.com/catalog.htm

My friend grew up in Puebla and has studied Majolica from Mexico and all over the world. She has a shop here near my husband's so I will present your questions to her and see what I can find out. I'll get back to you with her answers. She has the most extensive collection of Majolica I've ever witnessed. Some of it dates back some time and the designs are incredible.

I became addicted to Majolica through my family. I grew up with it in our house and never realized the significance of it until I grew older. Funny how as a child we hate the things we learn to cherish as we grow older. I used to think all those designs were too primitive and in my 20's actually preferred Noritake patterns which I loathe now...LOL

tomgibbs

Jan 6, 2003, 8:35 PM

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Re: [MarisolEnPlayas] Talavera

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We use it all here, Marisol. Much to the delight of our daughter and her husband when they visit. The thing we don't use for dining is the table cloth and place matts from Zinacatan, Chiapas. The are a brilliant blue with sunflowers, 3 panels handwoven with a backstrap loom, stitched together and then thickly embroidered. We take them off before setting the table and put down some regular tablecloths purchased in Patzcuaro. I'm not anxious to find out what the washer would do to the blue field or the embroidery.

I'll be anxious to hear what you find out from your friend regarding the technical durability questions.

(This post was edited by tomgibbs on Jan 6, 2003, 8:37 PM)

smacarol

Jan 6, 2003, 9:39 PM

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Re: [tomgibbs] Talavera

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We just bought a complete set of dinnerware for six from the Ken Edwards factory in Tonala, an artsy colony which has been absorbed as a suburb of Guadalajara. I trust it completely, partly because the Ken Edwards line has to meet U.S. standards for its considerable export into the U.S., and he also learned methods in the U.S. I would think the Gorky line would be the same.

Not all ceramic work can be called talavera, and there are big legal battles going on in Mexico over which areas and factories can rightfully use the word. Right now many countries and regions are cracking down on widespread use and copying of their techniques and designs developed in those countries and regions. I.e. Parmesan cheese can only be so named if it comes from the Parma region of Italy, if one lawsuit goes through, which will cause great havoc with Kraft and other cheese companies selling what they call Parmesan, and they'll have to rename and relabel all their products. It is the same with the word talavera.

I used to own a ceramics store myself back in Michigan and know that lead content is a problem only for dishes that will be used to store foods that have acid in them, for more than a short time. The reds and yellows are the most likely colors to be a problem.

If a certain dish has a clear glaze inside (white) where it will actually be in contact with food I wouldn't worry at all, but if there was any kind of carving or multiple layers of colors or gold/silver decorations, I probably wouldn't store lemonade or salsa in it for more than an hour or so for a meal. Once any kind of crackling or cracks appear in any piece, forget it for food use--I'd worry more about amoebas hiding in the lingering damp spaces than I would about lead.

Smaller factories where they might use a wood kiln that can't be regulated as carefully as an electric kiln would also make me wary. Some techniques involve pulling the piece out early from the kiln and letting it cool in ashes, which gives a great look but I'd also worry about consistency of the glazes. To get a good clear glaze a kiln needs to go up to around 2000 degrees, and porcelain goes even higher, around 2200 degrees. Gold on top of a clear glaze gets a firing to only around 1400 degrees, I forget exactly how hot now, but leaching could occur from that low a firing. You can even scratch gold off of some designs, which is certainly a clue that it could come off in use. (Gold and silver glazes also can't be used in the microwave because metal generally can't be used in a microwave, just as a reminder.)

Hope these tips help.

Carol Schmidt

pyt

Jan 10, 2003, 1:58 PM

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Re: [smacarol] Talavera

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Thanks for all this helpful information.
To Marisol en Playas: How can I find out more about the families that are authorized to sell Talavera?
Also, are there any good books or other resources on Talavera and Majolica from Mexico?

Peter

Jan 10, 2003, 7:23 PM

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another choice

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Although Talavera is very nice, we chose to collect Amora. It is (IMHO) much more primitive than Talavera, and it has a more down to earth "warmness" to it. Now I know, Talavera is quite intricate and colorful. And collecting Amora is probably like collecting Chevrolets rather than Cadillacs, but it is rather intriguing. Give it a look for its' great variety.

Regards,

Peter