A stunning large-format platter from Félix Tissot's celebrated "Fantasia" series—featuring his signature manganese spatter glaze in speckled teal over a silkscreened design of stylized quetzal birds, prancing deer, and sunburst flowers. This is the 14.5" × 8.5" oval centerpiece size, hand-signed "Tissot / Taxco."
This isn't the smooth glossy variant you see everywhere—this is the textured spatter-glaze stoneware that mid-century collectors actively hunt for.
đź’Ž COLLECTOR NOTE: Comparable 14.5" Fantasia platters in this spatter-glaze variant currently list for $104-140 on eBay/Etsy. Smooth-gloss versions are more common and sell for less. The speckled stoneware finish is the collector-preferred variant and commands premium pricing in the MCM ceramics market.
Not all Tissot Fantasia pieces are created equal. There are two distinct glaze styles:
In the mid-1960s, Tissot experimented with "lava glazes" to appeal to the California modernist market (think Gump's San Francisco). The manganese spatter technique—where oxide pigment is mist-sprayed before final firing—creates a volcanic, organic texture that fits perfectly with brutalist architecture and mid-century interiors. This marks it as a premium variant from Tissot's peak creative period.
Félix Tissot was a French-born ceramicist who moved to Taxco, Mexico in 1956, drawn by the town's thriving modernist design scene. He founded Cerámica Taxco and pioneered silkscreen-printed imagery on stoneware.
His "Fantasia" series—featuring stylized Mexican wildlife and vibrant glazes—became an instant hit with international retailers like Gump's (San Francisco), Harrods (London), and GalerĂas Cristal (Mexico City). Today, Tissot pieces are recognized as important examples of mid-century Mexican modernist design.
The silkscreened design features Tissot's signature iconography:
The imagery is screen-printed in dark teal, sealed under clear glaze, with manganese spatter applied over everything for depth and texture.
| Maker | Félix Tissot, Cerámica Taxco (Taxco, Mexico) |
| Series | "Fantasia" (late 1950s–1970s) |
| Size | 14.5" × 8.5" (37 × 21 cm) — Large oval serving platter |
| Material | Mid-fire stoneware, buff clay body |
| Glaze | Manganese spatter glaze (teal with dark brown/black speckles) |
| Decoration | Silkscreen-printed wildlife design in dark teal |
| Signature | Hand-incised "Tissot / Taxco" on reverse |
| Era | Circa 1957–1970 |
| Use | Serving platter (oven-safe stoneware, hand-wash only) |
The minor wear confirms this piece has real history—collectors value authentic vintage patina over pristine "never used" examples. All flaws photographed and priced accordingly.
The manganese spatter glaze is genuine ceramic artistry created through a multi-step firing process:
The speckles sit under the final clear glaze, so they're permanent and won't wear off.
Ships fast with heavy padding to ensure safe arrival. Stoneware is durable, but we treat every vintage piece as fragile.
French-Mexican studio pottery at its finest. Mid-century design, volcanic texture, museum-quality provenance. Thanks for supporting the Locker! — CHIEF