Antique Calabrian Olive Oil Jar from Italy

A vintage hand-painted ceramic strawberry motif serving platter or relish dish. This serving dish features four wells that will accommodate dips, relishes ...

A wonderful and unique piece to make your table shine Hanpainted, in italy, Saint Jacques (scallops) bowl centerpiece summer is everyday on your table wit...

A wonderful and unique piece to make your table shine Hanpainted, in italy, Saint Jacques (scallops) serving tray summer is everyday on your table with th...

Crespina Faenza, last quarter of the 16th century Maiolica painted in two colors, light blue and yellow, on a thick, rich layer of white enamel. It measures 2.24 in (5.7 cm) in height, 6.10 in (15.5 cm) in diameter. lb 0.55 (kg 0.25) State of conservation: mimetic restoration. The small cup has a raised central “umbone”, a perforated brim and a shaped rim. It rests on a high jutting foot. The "crespina" shape, in some inventories is cited as "tacce de frute" (fruit cups). It was particularly appreciated in the Renaissance and has variants based on the formal types and the different sizes. The decoration, made according to the dictates of the “compendiario” style, used few standardized colors: blue and yellow on a thick white and shiny enamel, deliberately chosen as the colour which was most reminiscent of silver. This choice derived from a trend in creative design of the era: the shapes used in the molds were often taken from metal objects. An idea which would last throughout the Renaissance. The work shows, in the middle of the “umbone”, a winged putto stepping forward while playing a long thin trumpet. The depiction of the putto is fully representative of the repertoire of the Faenza workshops of the sixteenth century. Some specimens with this type of decoration have been published in a volume by Carmen Ravanelli Guidotti: there appears the whole productive repertoire of this fundamental moment of transition between the taste for the “istoriato” style and the great simplification of decoration in the “compendiario” period. This style, in its simplicity, however, saw its expression in a rather varied collection of decorative subjects, including old-fashioned busts...

A lovely antique English Staffordshire Mason's ironstone toast rack, circa 1920. Maker's mark on reverse. This fine toast rack has a beautiful floral design and would be wonderful fo...

A wonderful set of dinner plates to make your table shine Hanpainted, in italy, Saint Jacques (scallops) will bring an everyday summer on your ...