Victorian majolica is the most highly sought, produced from the mid 19th century into the very early years of the 20th century. Majolica of this period can also be recognized by the common themes repeated in majolica work of this period including leaves, fruit, mythological figures, lions, birds, lions, rams, and other plants and animals. Oriental influences also made their way into majolica production, introducing monkeys, elephants, and more exotic creatures foreign to Europe. Much majolica is unmarked from this period and must be recognized by specific characteristics of the manufacturer. However, the best and most highly collected pieces of English majolica are typically marked and were produced by Minton, Wedgwood, Royal Worcester, Holdcroft, Lear, and George Jones. American manufacturers of majolica included Eureka and Chesapeake Potteries and Griffin, Smith, & Hill; In continental Europe, probably the best known producers were Sarreguemines, Luneville, and Villeroy & Boch.

Minton majolica tends to be the most highly collected, first created by Minton art director Joseph Arnoux in 1848. He patterned his work on ancient "maiolica" but differs in having a much thicker body and an opaque white underglaze which was used as a foundation for application of the more brightly colored glazes forming the actual majolica decoration. Majolica is often confused with maiolica, a method of brushing color pigments on an unfired glaze developed in regions of Italy, Spain, and Persia beginning in the middle of the 15th century. Maiolica's base glaze is glossy and made whiter with the addition of tin oxide and firing at very high temperatures, and it is well suited for ceramics to be finely decorated with paint. This is different than majolica's use of free flowing glazes and bodies whose form reflects the design to coalesce glazes in the desired locations.

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