Before you close the deal of your life and pay an incredibly low price for what looks like a stunning piece of Deruta pottery, STOP and read these simple guidelines.
Stores are full of rubbish, believe me.
Lots of nice looking ceramic pieces which are machine stamped and sold as original hand made Italian Ceramics. Possibly from reputable regions, like Deruta.
Spotting a fake is possible and quite easy. Follow these simple steps.
1 – Turn the Italian ceramic piece you’re interested in upside down and make sure there is an unglazed area.
This area, usually a circle, shows the natural brownish orange color of the terracotta (bisque). The bisque is sometimes made of white grayish clay, often used for small pieces, but it’s still clearly visible.
Now you’ll be wondering why this detail is so important.
Let me remind you how the humble terracotta changes into a priceless Italian ceramic. Before the actual hand painting the artisan dips the terracotta deeply into a sieve containing fast drying liquid glaze. This fine powder will prevent the colours
from spreading and blurring into each other during the painting and will bond with the subsequent coloured glazes during the final firing.
The glaze however gets quite sticky during the firing. That is why the clever artist makes sure that his or her fine Italian ceramic pieces are not in touch during the firing and carefully removes the glaze from their base.
The damage would be otherwise irreversible.
2 – Touch the unglazed area. It must be rough.
If it is white and smooth then its not an original Italian ceramic, made with traditional materials and techniques.
Sometimes it is still possible to detect the marks of the long pincer the artisans use to glaze their pottery: it’s two tiny dots usually positioned near the rim of the pieces.
3 – Brush strokes must be visible.
Italian ceramics are always
hand painted and if you look at them closely you will be able to see the single stokes that contribute to the beauty and artistry of your piece.
You will never forget the emotion of a close look to a Renaissance portrait and will find it hard to believe that those colourful, lively characters are painted with no more than 4 or 5 colors.
Now you own the key tools to spot a fake.
If you are passionate about Italian ceramics, though, I have a suggestion for you which goes beyond technicalities.
My suggestion is: look at as many Italian ceramics as possible.
Browse Internet, read books, visit museums, go to exhibitions, visit the stores of your city and touch them. Your senses will grow accustomed to their patterns, their shapes, their look and feel. And in a few years your expertise will match your passion.
In the meantime if you wish to start your own collection of fine Italian ceramics, buy from a reputable dealer. Someone who is willing to tell you more about the piece than just its price, who is happy to spend some time to educate you, who knows the name of the artist and offers a clear return policy.
That is what we try to do at http://thatsarte.com, the web site I set up together with my best friend Manuela, also a lover of quality pottery.
About one year ago Manuela and I decided to step change our professional lives and turn our passion into a real work.
We spent quite a lot of time traveling around the best known Italian ceramic centers to choose the pieces of Dinnerware, Tableware and Decoration accents we most liked.
Tough life, you must think.
We collected more than 4,000 beautiful Italian ceramic pieces hand made by the most talented artists in Italy. Have a look at it. You’ll also find information on Italian ceramics history, tradition and making and a lot more. You will enjoy every minute of it. Click now http://thatsarte.com
We have a white picher type that may be a water pitcher, it has the number and letter v/l on it, it also says pauls products D.y.p. and under that it says este.underthe v/l it says made in Italy. Could you possibly tell us its value.? There is a gold sticker that says pauls products, est 1898 and in the middle of the sticker it says e.p.p.and cmpany new york and the stcker also says made in Italy The vase has roses and may be two sunflowers on it.
We have a white picher type that may be a water pitcher, it has the number and letter v/l on it, it also says pauls products D.y.p. and under that it says este.underthe v/l it says made in Italy. Could you possibly tell us its value.? There is a gold sticker that says pauls products, est 1898 and in the middle of the sticker it says e.p.p.and company , new york The sticker says made in italy
Hello, i have a blog Reading Italian Maps and I was wondering if it would be possible to reblog this post, with full credits, of course, and a link to your site. You have my e-mail, let me know if you’re interested.
I HAVE A PIECE OF ITALIAN POTTERY WATERING CAN THE COLORS ARE YELLOWS, ORANGES, AND BROWNS. IT IS MARKED SIMPLY Italy CAN YOU TELL ME IF IT IS REAL THANK YOU WILMA MATHES
Hi,
I have an elaborate vase with lid.It has a duck-like spout and snake-like handle.It is matt finish of light brown background with darker brown flutes.This background is covered with a blue/yellow flowers and green leaves.
On the baseis a PH monogram,Deruta,457/30,DIPIMZOAMANO?
The rim on the base is unglazed and dark brown but quite smooth
Any ideas?
John on the Wirral.
I have a service for 6 of C.A.S. Vietri bird dishes with serving bowl,platter, sugar and creamer. These pieces have the number 690 hand written on the bottom. These were given to me in 1970. These pieces are orange with blue trim and a white bird in the middle.
Are these are the REAL thing and approx what a service of this type would go for?
I have a vase that I believe came with my grandma from Italy, the colors are bright flowers and look painted by hand. The bottom shows F.B.C. ITALY, then numbers, I think, h0-7577.But, the bottom has a chip and shows white chalking material, not terracota. I can not find anything on it, What do you think, thanks, K
i have a pair of marble horse head bookends and wont to know how much there worth what website would i go to please
I have a piece of Pauls. It has to go back to the late 40′s as I am 60 and my parents always had it in their home. It says 220/41/
Can I send a pic to identify it? Also to see how much it may be worth
I have a carrot shaped (maybe candy) dish that is orange with green top and a bamboo handle. On the bottom is painted black but is not painted where it sits on the bottom and is marked ITALY and numbered 5 . 207. Just curious because I love almost everything that is vintage. It has been in my family at least 45 years.
Thank you
Robin
Hi im billy
I have a bowl, maby a fruit bowl or a pata bowl, i dont know. It has 1 pepper 1 pickle 1 plum and 3 beats on it, it has brush stroke and a orange brown bottom ring. On the bottom it says ITALY 25/A and its all in caps just like that. If yo have any ifo on it please let me know.
T.I.A
DESIMONE Pottery;
‘RARE & IMPRESSIVE* 24″ GIOVANNI DESIMONE FLOOR VASE pablo picasso AMAZING!”
“Here is an absolutely breath taking and amazing piece of pottery by Italian Artist Giovanni Desimone, a student of Pablo Picasso.” False, he was not a student of Picasso!
Buyer beware; These E-bay descriptions for Giovanni Desimone pottery are incorrect. Most of these items were not made by Giovanni, buy were made in the De Simone factory.
My Neighbor is 91 and i am trying to help him sell some treasures 16-17th century Majolica Game Pie Tureen with So Much Detail WOW..Most Gorgeous thing I have ever seen!! Museum Quality Piece.I know it is a Rare find who Can I trust to give me Accurate Information on My Piece. It was appraised in new york in the 1960s for 10,000.00.I am Desperate for Information!!!would like to make this a Dream come True!! for Him if anyone Can help me.Thanks in Advance email at lazykujo at Comcast dot Net!!
I have a very large Soup Tureen with a pedestool base,
a very large 15 3/4″ platter, and a large leaf shaped ladle. The handles on the soup Tureen are shaped like a leaf. The lid handle is a folded leaf. It is cream colored with green trim. On the bottom it has; made in Italy, Italy is printed in green script with the number 46/2.
I am trying to find the value of these pieces.
Can you help me.
Thank You
Jean
Dear Manuela;
I was recently given three ceramic bowls by a friend whose mother (from Toronto, Canada) left them in her estate. The undersides are bisque and rough, numbered and marked ‘Italy’. They look hand-crafted; however, they are a unique style that I haven’t found on any of the Italian pottery catalogues or websites I’ve seen. I have photos and wondered if I could send you one to look at. I’m interested in your opinion as to whether they are truly Italian and possibly from what region. I can see by the comments posted that you must be deluged by such requests so please forgive me for imposing on your time. Your help would be greatly appreciated. Warm wishes, Sue
I have a pitcher cream and brown in color with orange and yellow flowers on one side. It’s approximately a foot tall. The bottom is rough with Tonya the word ITALY in caps. Can you please tell me more about this or direct me to someone. Thank you
Tonya was not supposed to be there…I only meant to put the word the.
Hi everyone, I have 2 pieces signed SCU in a triangle with intertwined PR itialy . I believe the are Rubboli and would like to know more about them and their value . Thanks! Love your blog! Rose