Slovak folk majolica is synonymous with Slovak folk pottery, a status it still maintains. In November 2017, the Modra majolica became part of the Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Slovakia. For 140 years, it has not only produced ceramics but also nurtured master craftsmen, provided them with support, brought enlightenment, and been an active member of the community. Slovak folk majolica has never been merely a manufacturer and employer, but continues to participate in social events, co-organize activities, and create a space for endeavors linked to ceramic tradition. Through the hands and hearts of its masters, it shapes the ceramic soul of the region.

In 1883, the Ceramic Industry School (Agyagipar Tanműhely Modor) was founded in Modra. The establishment of the ceramic school laid the foundation for the future thriving enterprise of Slovak ceramics and later Slovak folk majolica, which continues production to this day.

The school was founded by the town of Modra in collaboration with the Hungarian Ministry of Industry and Trade. Jozef Mička, a ceramicist from Moravia, became the first administrator. Apprentices learned essential workshop tasks such as pottery throwing, painting, and firing.

In 1888, the workshop ceased to receive state funding and operate as a school, transitioning into a private ceramics business. The former head of the workshop took over the employees and the product range from the school.

The enterprise thrived until 1908 when the workshop’s head, Jozef Mička, passed away. After the master’s death, the workshop operation was halted in 1911. Following the closure of the ceramic workshop, the cultural community of Modra led by Bishop Samuel Zoch, priest Vladimír Jurkovič, and architect Dušan Jurkovič decided to revive the workshop operation. In 1912, they established a shareholder company, which adopted the name Slovak Ceramics from 1921. The demand for Modra ceramics surged in the interwar period. The workshop produced traditional slip-cast kitchenware, pottery products, and modern pieces. Slovak Ceramics employed many professional artists who taught ceramicists to draw and model. Concurrently, the enterprise embarked on intensive collecting work, led by painter Heřman Landsfeld. The Modra ceramic workshop experienced its greatest prosperity in the interwar period, achieving multiple awards including the Grand Prix at the 1925 World Exhibition in Paris and a Grand Prix medal in Philadelphia in 1926.

In 1952, the enterprise was renamed SLOVAK FOLK MAJOLICA. In the post-war period, a new generation of ceramicists entered the workshops, including Ignác Bizmayer, Imrich Kóňa, Richard Hóz, Michal Horník, Rudolf Barčík, Vincent Labaj, Michal Petráš, all outstanding masters whose products are highly valued today and stored in museum and private collections. The interest in traditional painted Modra ceramics compelled the company’s management to expand production areas. In 1976, the enterprise definitively left its original premises in the southern bastion and relocated to a newly constructed extensive complex. The production focused on a traditional assortment drawn from the ornamentation of Slovak folk pottery. Painters adhered to prescribed decorations, each with their characteristic style allowing for some deviations. This is how the enterprise operated until 1989 when societal and economic changes affected production volumes and staff numbers. The ceramic workshop in Modra underwent numerous changes, always adapting and continuing production.

In November 2017, the Modra majolica became part of the Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Slovakia.