Capodimonte Jug
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Pitchers
Ceramic
Mid-20th Century Italian Baroque Jars
Ceramic
Recent Sales
Antique 1880s Italian Neoclassical Planters, Cachepots and Jardinières
Porcelain
Antique 1880s Italian Neoclassical Planters, Cachepots and Jardinières
Porcelain
People Also Browsed
Early 20th Century French Art Deco Vases
Art Glass
Antique Early 19th Century Danish Gustavian Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
Antique Early 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Secretaires
Brass
Vintage 1940s French Bottles
Blown Glass
Mid-20th Century Italian Modern Bookends
Art Glass, Blown Glass, Murano Glass
Vintage 1940s Chinese Chinese Export Cabinets
Glass, Walnut
Vintage 1950s German Folk Art Wardrobes and Armoires
Pine
Antique Early 1900s French Art Nouveau Cabinets
Beech, Fruitwood
Vintage 1910s Bottles
Glass
Early 2000s Italian Modern Wall Lights and Sconces
Brass
20th Century French Vases
Earthenware
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Glass
Murano Glass, Uranium Glass
20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Barware
Metal
Late 20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Glass
Murano Glass
Vintage 1920s French Empire Glass
Crystal
Vintage 1930s French Art Deco Cabinets
Walnut, Lacquer
Capodimonte for sale on 1stDibs
If success is measured by lasting name recognition, Capodimonte porcelain would seem to be in the same league as such makers as Meissen, Sèvres and Wedgwood. Early examples of Capodimonte lamps — as well as the Italian manufacturer’s celebrated porcelain vases, figurines and sculptures — can be hard to come by, but the best later pieces possess the same over-the-top charm.
The Real Fabbrica (“royal factory”) di Capodimonte hasn’t actually produced porcelain since the early 19th century, when Charles’s son Ferdinand sold it. Although secondary manufacturers have built upon the aesthetic and kept the name alive, some connoisseurs of the royal product feel these pieces should be labeled “in the style of” Capodimonte.
The timeline of royal Capodimonte porcelain is decidedly brief. From beginning to end, its manufacture lasted approximately 75 years. King Charles VII of Naples, who founded the manufactory in 1743, began experimenting with porcelain around 1738, the year he married Maria Amalia of Saxony. No coincidence there. His new bride was the granddaughter of Augustus the Strong, Elector of Saxony and founder of Meissen, the first European hard-paste porcelain manufactory. Her dowry included 17 Meissen table services.
Struck by porcelain fever, Charles built a dedicated facility on top of a hill (capo di monte) overlooking Naples. He financed expeditions to search for the right clay. He hired chemists and artisans to experiment. His earliest successes were small white snuffboxes and vases, although efforts soon progressed to full sets of tableware, decorative objects and stylized figurines of peasants and theatrical personalities.
In 1759, Charles succeeded to the throne of Spain. He moved the manufactory with him — including 40 workers and 4 tons of clay — and continued operations in Madrid. Twelve years later, his son Ferdinand IV, who inherited the throne of Naples, built a new factory there that became known for distinctly rococo designs.
The Napoleonic wars interrupted production, and around 1807, oversight of the royal factories was transferred to a franchisee named Giovanni Poulard-Prad.
Beginning in the mid-18th century, porcelain made by Charles’s factory was stamped with a fleur-de-lis, usually in underglaze blue. Pieces from Ferdinand’s were stamped with a Neapolitan N topped by a crown. When secondary manufacturers began production, they retained this mark, in multiple variations. The value of these later 19th- and 20th-century pieces is determined by the quality, not the Capodimonte porcelain marks.
Find antique and vintage Capodimonte porcelain for sale on 1stDibs.
- What is Capodimonte's style?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertFebruary 27, 2024Capodimonte's style is regal and opulent, though it has varied over the years. Early pieces from the celebrated Italian porcelain manufacturer often reflect Rococo design sensibilities, with organic motifs rendered in soft colors. As trends changed, so did the look of Capodimonte porcelain, which skewed Victorian, Edwardian and Art Deco over the years that followed. Capodiomonte has also looked beyond its native Italy for inspiration, producing porcelain ware that reflects Japanese and ancient Roman decorative techniques. Shop a wide range of Capdodimonte porcelain on 1stDibs.