Rare Antique Kensington Majolica 6" Tile – High-Relief Foliate Design with Iconic Maker's Mark, Newport KY, Circa 1880s

Rare Antique Kensington Majolica 6” Tile – Exquisite High-Relief Foliate Motif with Iconic Maker's Mark

This stunning 6" x 6" antique majolica tile from the short-lived Kensington Art Tile Company of Newport, Kentucky, represents a true gem of American Victorian decorative arts. Produced between 1883 and 1893 (during the company's peak years as Kensington Art Tile), tiles like this are highly sought after by collectors for their exceptional artistry, rarity, and historical significance.

The face features a rich chocolate-brown majolica glaze that beautifully highlights a symmetrical high-relief foliate motif—elegant scrolling acanthus leaves with delicate curling flourishes and a central stylized leaf. The glossy surface creates dramatic play of light and shadow across the raised details, giving the design remarkable depth and sophistication. This classic Victorian-era pattern exemplifies the refined aesthetic that made Kensington tiles stand out in the American art pottery movement.

Turn the tile over to reveal one of the most celebrated backstamps in 19th-century American ceramics: the famous Kensington maker's mark. Embossed in flowing script within a diagonal cartouche, it's accented by a radiant sunburst and ornate scrolling flourishes—an artistic masterpiece in itself, far more elaborate than a typical maker's stamp. Collectors prize this mark for its beauty and clarity; a small trace of original mortar from past architectural use remains but does not detract from its stunning preservation.

In excellent condition with crisp relief, vibrant glossy glaze, and a perfectly legible maker's mark, this tile is a rare opportunity to own both a visually striking majolica surface and an exemplary example of the iconic Kensington backstamp—qualities not often found together in surviving pieces.

✨ Collector's Note: The Kensington Art Tile Company was founded in 1881 by the Hatt brothers as Hatt & Hatt, then reorganized under new investors in 1885 as the Kensington Art Tile Company. Though production ended by around 1895 after just a decade, the firm's output included some of the era's most artistic and refined tiles. Designs benefited from the talents of notable figures like Herman Mueller and Mary Louise McLaughlin—the latter a pioneering ceramic artist and co-founder of the nearby Rookwood Pottery in Cincinnati, Ohio.