Welcome to the Shantique Gallery online experience. We are Sherri and Michael Hines, a husband and wife team that has been dealing in fine antique majolica since the year 2000, though our experience with antiques in general, and majolica specifically, extends far back from that date. Sherri began in this business when she worked through high school and college at an antique store in her native Independence, Missouri. It was then she fell under the spell of the exuberant colors and often whimsical designs of Victorian majolica. For Michael's part, he developed an early and sustaining passion for antique furniture...a perfect foil for Sherri's majolica-Truly a match made in heaven!

In the beginning of our collecting, we bought any and all majolica that we could find, and-of course-afford. It didn't matter where it came from, what condition it was in, or what it was. If it was majolica, and the price tag didn't send us into apoplectic shock, we bought it. We've since become pickier, and narrowed our interest down to continental European majolica: Sherri leans heavily toward antique French majolica in the Art Nouveau style from the likes of Frie-Onnaing, Longwy, and Delphin Massier , while Michael's taste runs more to the disciplined intricacy of antique Austrian majolica, as exemplified by Wilhelm Schiller, Julius Dressler, and Gerbing & Stephan.

We make several trips to Europe each year, scouring the countryside for treasures. We have discovered that buying and selling antique continental majolica is a wonderful way to share our passion for this exquisite art pottery and enjoy pieces we never would have been able to own privately. We hope that you enjoy browsing through our store, and please check back often as we are constantly adding to our inventory.

Our goal is to provide you with the finest antique majolica website experience on the web. Our clients enjoy the peace of mind of knowing that we stand completely behind what we sell. We are not satisfied unless, you--our client--is satisfied. We promise to avoid the ambiguity of brief, one-word, condition reports such as "excellent condition", "repairs", "some chips". All condition issues will be reported in detail as to nature, location, and significance. Nor will we withhold photographs that show damage or condition issues-if there is any such issue on a piece, you will be able to view it for yourself in our photographs. We strive to make your Shantique Gallery experience a pleasant one, and will do all in our power to make it so. We want this to be the beginning of long and happy relationship with you!

(For details of our Return Policy, Shipping Policy, and Satisfaction Guarantee, please see the "Policies" link at the top of this page.)