Vase Italian maiolica ? signature ?

Not sure why I bought this, sometimes I do just to learn - especially if I can't read the signature so I can try to figure it out. I assume it is from Italy but not sure. Does it make sense to anyone?

 

Basque pottery.....France ?

 

Pays Basque? In French Basque Country?

Edit to say ha ha, I'm too slow. Still looks Italian.

 

Yes, that must be it .. so Pays Basque is Basque country in French. Basque is the south of France on the Spanish border. The other side of France from Italy. Not much maiolica from Basque or so google images leads me to believe, so just working in the style it looks like. Thanks!

 

While the signature appears to be Spanish the decoration is of Italian origin. The technique of scratching a design into an unfired piece of pottery is known as “Sgraffito”. Its use dates back to the 15th century but it was revived and made popular in the 1920’s. The combination of a floral design with geometric patterns is,again, another Italian feature. It is known as “geometrico-fiorito”. The vase is not majolica (maioliche in Italian) which is a technique that requires several firings. This is simply a multi-glazed earthenware vase that has been fired once in the kiln. It is possible that a Spanish artist was living and working in Italy during the 1920’s in the area of Umbria, around Deruta and Perugia, where this type of ware was most popular. It is also possible that the vase was made in a Spanish studio.

 

Walter, you probably mean a French studio.
The Basque country, called Euskal Herria in Basque, is on both sides of the border. Pays Basque is in France, País Vasco in Spain.
Some of the loveliest resort towns of France are on the Basque coast, like Biarritz and my favourite, St. Jean de Luz.
Most French Basque ceramics are plain brown or green utilitarian, or painted with rural scenes and people in Basque costume. Like this Ciboure vase, by Roger Berne:

 

I have one identical to this. Same number, but something different C….. M….. written on the bottom. My family were from Belfort in France, but that’s about all I know. Did you get any further with your investigation?

 

Would you be kind enough to post photographs?

Debora

 

Same vase, totally different mark: https://www.selency.nl/product/KCD7V9G2/ancient-vase-cerart-monaco.html

 

I think the mark on the OPs vase also reads Cerart underneath Pays Basque. Wonder if that's the line or pattern name.

Debora

 

Here's another example of their work signed Pays Basque and Cerart. Do think Pays Basque is pattern name. Cerart founded 1937 so that's earliest date.

Debora