Hamilton Tile Works Co. - Circa 1885

"Wild Oak Leaves & Acorns"

-- Antique * Victorian * American Maker * Majolica  --

**NOTE:  This tile's true color is a very deep walnut brown, without any red, or purple, tint to its glaze.  I have tried to correct the image color to match the actual tile.  The highlights are a milk chocolate brown...without additional hues.

Presenting an antique, sculpted, relief, monochrome glazed, majolica, tile of the leaves and acorns of a Wild Oak Tree, created by the, "Hamilton Tile Works Co.," of Hamilton, Ohio, circa 1885.

  This company was founded by a Mr. Adolf Metzner, whose two sons, Otto and Max, eventually perfected the art of making majolica tiles and mastering the refining of the clay and the creation of various brilliant glazes to coat them with.  All during a  time when such tiles were practically unknown and unavailable in the United States.




This is an early American made tile, created in the English style, for use as a fireplace surround tile, or a wall tile.


Condition: Very Good

This tile displays a blemish to its lower-central design, where it appears an attempt was made to restore some lost glaze with a "filler" of some sort.  Best to cover this existing flaw with a dark Brown coating of glass paint, made for such cosmetic ceramic repairs.  Look closely at the provided tile scan.

  The verso is devoid of any mortar residue or smoke/soot stains, which indicates this tile spent its long life away from the hazards of the fireplace...and was most likely part of a tile backsplash.

  The grip pattern is typical of Hamilton Tile Works tiles of this period.   

"Hamilton" is embossed.


Please examine our provided high-resolution scans of this tile to determine its exact state.


* Tile Size: 6" x 6"

  *  Maker: Hamilton Tile Works, Co.

 *  Style: Victorian

 * Type: Sculpted Majolica

 * Date: Circa 1885

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