A Faenza maiolica dish with the arms of the Milzetti family Circa 1525-35
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A Faenza maiolica dish with the arms of the Milzetti family, circa 1525-35
The tondino of small size and 'cardinal's hat' shape, glazed in lavender-blue and painted in orange, yellow, white, blue and green, the intricate design including 'endless knot' and heart-shaped motifs, the central shield painted with the arms of the Milzetti family, a wreath of stylised fruit and leaves painted around the border, the underside painted with formal motifs in dark blue, the centre with the mark of a crossed ball, 17.3cm diam, 3cm high
Estimate:
£8,000 - 12,000
€9,300 - 14,000
US$ 12,000 - 18,000

Footnotes

  • Many plates and small dishes of related design are recorded in collections, often bearing a painted mark similar to the present lot. The sign of a crossed ball has in the past been interpreted as a fire wheel, referring to the name of the Casa Pirota workshop, or alternatively as a football, believed to represent the Dalle Palle, another family workshop in Faenza. The most recent research, discussed by Thornton and Wilson 2009, pp 128-133, challenges these traditional attributions and links this group of pieces fairly convincingly to the Pietro Bergantini workshop. The Bergantini workshop was responsible for a number of significant armorial sets with figure subjects. It is, however, rare to find an armorial within the formal decoration on berettino dishes of the present type.

Category: Decorative Arts / European Ceramics

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Contacts

Nette Megens Bonhams
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101 New Bond Street
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Specialist - European Ceramics