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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;Walter Del Pellegrino, post: 380259, member: 90&quot;]It will probably be impossible to properly date the piece. The family-owned company remained true to Giovanni DeSimone&#039;s vision and form that he created just after the end of World War II.</p><p><br /></p><p>Unlike many studios that attempted to change direction in order to keep pace with changing times and styles the products of the DeSimone pottery, which looked to the inspiration of Picasso, Matisse, Leger and Klee, never lost the story-telling elements drawn from the folklore and scenes of his beloved Sicily.</p><p><br /></p><p>Giovanni died in 1991 and two daughters (he had three daughters involved with the company) continued the operation until September of 2008 when the company was forced to close.</p><p><br /></p><p>I personally believe that the company eventually failed not because of a lack of interest by collectors but rather because of the erroneous ban on DeSimone pottery into the U.S. due to suspected levels of cadmium in the pigments. The company proved over and over again that the ban was (a) undeserved and (b) their products were works of art, not meant for use with food. The ban was never lifted. See below for the U.S. Customs official notices.</p><p><br /></p><p>&quot;U.S. Import Notice: United States Government Import Alert (number IA5208) presently restricts the import, even in small quantities, of certain ceramic items which contain a high lead content deemed unsafe. We’ve received emails from Americans who purchased such objects only to have these confiscated upon arrival in the United States. The restriction currently applies to glazed ceramic items sold by at least one Sicilian firm, De Simone of Palermo.&quot;</p><p>&quot;U.S. Food &amp; Drug Administration-</p><p><br /></p><p>IA #52-08, REVISION - 6/17/03, IMPORT ALERT #52-08, &quot;***DETENTION WITHOUT</p><p><br /></p><p>PHYSICAL EXAMINATION*** OF CERAMICWARE DUE TO EXCESSIVE LEAD AND/OR CADMIUM&quot;,</p><p><br /></p><p>ATTACHMENT - 12/3/08</p><p><br /></p><p>NOTE: This revision updates the product codes. Changes are bracketed by</p><p><br /></p><p>asterisks (***).</p><p><br /></p><p>TYPE OF ALERT: Detention Without Physical Examination Guidance&quot;</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>In 1997 one daughter attempted to open her own shop, &quot;Ceramiche Margherita De Simone&quot; and in 2008 Susanna created &quot;Fabbrica della Ceramica.&quot;. I think both are no longer in operation, although I may be wrong.</p><p><br /></p><p>In 2009-2010, the trademark &quot;De Simone Ceramics” was legally purchased, through Margherita De Simone. It was established as a new property that has been re-found with the historic name of the new company &quot;De Simone Ceramics Ltd.” This action ensured that the family name continued to be attached to the artwork even though no family member was involved the authenticity of the artifact. The guarantee of being a DeSimone product was assumed by the continuity of all the production know-how (designers, decorators, etc..). The group of artists who still preserve the heritage of the exclusive school tradition of John De Simone, having trained since&nbsp; young with the teacher, moved to the new company and so the refined and characteristic production of &quot;De Simone Ceramics&quot; with the style of the great master supposedly continued.</p><p><br /></p><p>The age of a DeSimone piece does not govern its value and it is of no great importance to collectors.</p><p><br /></p><p>Because of this varied and muddled company history I tend to avoid DeSimone ceramics in my collection.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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