Oriental Style Plate ? Unusual Mark

How about it being a plate meant to hold a wide round Soup bowl....the extra rim inside to keep the soup bowl from slipping around????? BTW, it IS a BEAUTIFUL plate!!!!!!!

 

There is no need to forward the plate to me. I believe I have identified it as having been made by the Conrado family. There were many branches of the family operating in the liguria region (the area around Genoa) in the northwest section of Italy. The various spelling of the family name makes research very difficult.
The Savonese crown has been used for centuries by the potters of Savona, Genoa and Albisola and I recognized it fairly quickly. What finally pinpointed the pottery for me was the letter "C" below the cross at the top of the crown. You can find a number of Conrado marks on line and when you have seen enough of them you can begin to visualize the lineage of the logo. Examples of Conrado pottery resides in a number of museums, including the Victoria and Albert in London.
I believe the plate dates from about late 1700's century to about 1800, perhaps 1820. It represents an Italian interpretation of the Imari Ware being imported by the Dutch to Europe at least twenty years before the English embraced the pattern and began producing it in Great Britain.
Having said all this I now come to the part I deplore most and usually avoid all together -Value. I am sometimes wildly off the mark when offering my opinion on values so don't pay too much attention but because the plate is Italian and not English or American, which is the most commonly collected, it is rare but rare does not, in this case, translate as expensive. The same can be said for age. It doesn't mean much.True 19th century Gaudy piece sell in the $100 to $200 range. I suspect that a collector would like to add this example to his or her collection but would not be willing to pay the same price he might for a nice example of real Gaudy. The plate might sell well in its country of origin and you might try emailing one of the auction houses like Cambi or Pandolfini to see if its worth the effort.
Below is an English translation of the history of the family taken from an Italian website:


CORRADI (Conrade, Conradi, Conrado, Corrado, Corado). - a family of Ligurian ceramists, descendants from noble family Coradengus Savonese (cf. M. Rouvet Massillon, Les Conrade, in Réunion des Sociétés des Beaux-Arts des Départements, XXII [1898], p. 292), operating from the second half of the XVI century at Albisola and Turin; the most important branch settled in Nevers where adopted the name of Conrade.

Bernardo and its manufacture of Albisola are cited for the first time in a document of 1715 (Barrel, 1965).

The factory of Bernardo, which is among the most important of Albisola in that period, remains active until the second half of the eighteenth century. This manifattura you know who produced perfect imitation of Savona majolica in monochrome turchina (ill. In Rackam, 1940; Morazzoni, 1951; Keg, 1965). Walked in particular the production of the Manifattura Nail, referred contraffece also the brand of "Lantern", protected by privilege. Among the many majolica commonly attributed to this manufacture is worthy of mention a great wall plate decorated with sirens in relief, small folders with views of countries and, in cable, putti who swim; is painted in monochrome blue and is marked with a crown and the initials "B. C." attributed to Bernardo or to Bartolomeo (another family member). The plate is now preserved at the Castello Sforzesco in Milan (ill. in the cask, 1965).


To C. of Albisola are attributed many brands, including a touch by magistrate, accompanied by initials of decorators, and a royal crown. These brands are mentioned in the act of seizure in the Bottega di Bernardo C. On 28 May 1715, following the cause intentatagli by Paul Nail and Augustine Peirano (Barrel, 1965), for counterfeiting.

Nicola worked as head warden and apparently also as a painter in the manufacture of majolica opened in Turin, in the Regio Parco, from the Genoese Giovanni Giacomo Bianchi in 1646 (Minghetti, 1946) Carlo Emanuele II of Savoia conferred at this factory, in 1649, a privilege, though Bianchi merited only until 1657, the year in which he entrusted to other its conduction. It is difficult to distinguish the products of the manufacture of the Regio Parco since these are mostly free of Marche and not having particular characteristics making them can recognize. The are however commonly attributed majolica marked with a shield is quartered with the cross of Savoy, surmounted by a ducal crown (Viale, 1931). The decoration is in monochrome azzurra and reflects the style of Savona, with figurations of birds and animals surrounded by flowers and leaves (ill. in Viale, 1931). The Civic Museum of Turin owns some specimens.

Bibl.: G. Crown, ceramics, Milan 1885, p. 478; R. Herculean, Pottery and Glassware, Rome 1889, pp. 19, 140; V. Viale, The Ceramic Collection of the Civic Museum of Turin, in Turin, XI (1931), II, p. 21; G. Morazzoni, shows of the ancient majolica ligure (catal.), Genoa 1939, pp. 40 s.; Victoria and Albert Museum, B. Rackam, Catalog of Italian maiolica, London 1940 I, p. 373; A. Minghetti, THE ITALIAN ceramists, Rome 1946, p. 131; G. Morazzoni. The majolica Ancient ligure, Milan 1951, p. 46; W. B. Honey, European ceramic art, London 1952, p. 625; C.Keg, ancient ligurian ceramics. Majolica of Albisola, Milan 1965, pp. 59 ff. (Where are said Conrado); G. Lise, ceramic ital. of '600, Milan 1974, pp. 11, 19 s.; C. Barrel, ancient ligurian ceramics. Majolica of Genova and Savona, Savona 1975, pp. 86 s.; F. Marzinot, ceramics and ceramists of Liguria, Genoa 1979, pp. 158-62, 216, 255 ff. (with various ill.); U. Thieme-F. Becker, Künstlerlexikon, VII, p. 455.

This is the original website in Italian:
http://www.treccani.it/enciclopedia/corradi_(Dizionario-Biografico)/

 

WOW............just WOW !!!!

 

Goodness! Thank you for the information, Walter. I'm going to need to read it several times to understand it fully. It is rather humbling to handle something that is probably over 200 years old. I sometimes have people that follow me around at auctions to see what I'm bidding on. Sometimes after they bid against me and win the item and then bring it over to me to identify. I let them know it's very dangerous to watch me at an auction. Many times I'm bidding not on what I think the value of item might be in dollar figures, but rather I bid on the aesthetics and the fun it will be for me to try to identify the item.

I may go back through my auction wins to see if I can figure out where I bought these. It may have been a catalog auction in Indianapolis. I most likely purchased these as part of a lot that included some satsuma I thought was pretty.

I do insist on sending you the plate anyway. It will mean far more to you than it ever will to me. I'd like you to be able to feel the weight and the glaze and get a better look at the mark. Nothing can really replace the hands-on experience. And I've got six more anyway. If you decide you don't want to keep it, you'll have a better idea than I do of where it can find a home it will be appreciated. I have been fortunate in that I've never been hungry or without a home. I'm far from wealthy but I have what I need. If fate wanted me to be rich I'd have found a winning lottery ticket in my mailbox long ago. Regardless of the plate's value it's not a life-changing amount anyway. Please let me know when you can accept packages again.

Again, thank you so much for sharing your knowledge. In my opinion (and I'm sure I'm not alone), your experience, generosity, and unique knowledge base you make an invaluable addition to our little community.
Don

 

Don, What can I say. I am humbled by your offer and the kindness of your words. I sold most of my collection off years ago but I would be honored to add your plate to the few examples I hold precious. Ship it whenever you find it convenient.
Komowa, Thank you for bringing a smile to my lips.

 

Thank you for your continued ...showing up when needed here !!!
I only wish I had an item worthy of your inspection !!!

 

Fascinating! I would never have guessed at Italian. Thanks Walter.

 

THIS.............

is why I am addicted to this site......................you are all wonderful to share your knowledge in this manner............

 

This was better than an episode of "24".
Amazing tale, and what a great ending!

 

Yeah, it's a good thing Walter is here. I really enjoyed this thread! First reactions on seeing the plate was: not British; Continental, not Gaudy Welsh/Dutch; European take on Imari, not new, but old. I wouldn't have figured Italian, but am glad to know it now!

 

Don
The plate arrived intact and in fine condition. My fingers trembled as I opened the package. One would think that after decades of opening such boxes that one would grow complacent about it all but the excitement and anticipation reverberated throughout my entire body as if I was standing next to one of those huge orchestral Timpani drums during the playing of the 1812 Overture. It has been years since I nave added a new piece to my collection and I find it as exhilarating as the first time I added to the showcase.

It is, however, your gesture of giving that has touched me even more deeply than the gift itself. How does one thank someone for renewing a faith in his fellow human beings?

When my fingers stop trembling I will spend the remainder of the day with my research books, magnifying glass and the newest addition to my collection. For me, it is a true treasure. Again, thank you.

 

why does this make ME so happy? I should be used to the goodness that grows here...................

 

Walter - thank you for letting me know it arrived safely. I'm so glad it is living up to its promise. Chalk it up to karma. I sincerely hope it continues to give you many, many years of happiness.
Don

 

Holy wow! I got a tear in my eye from reading this wonderful post.