Friday,
March 21,
Italian Porcelain, the First of European ??
The
ANNOTICO Report
When we think of
European porcelain, we are more likely to think of the Germans and the French
than the Italians. Yet the Italians were among the first to make porcelain in
Italian Porcelain . . .The
story of Richard Ginori
Cape
May
By
Arthur Schwerdt
Friday,
March 21, 2008
The
Italians were among the first to make porcelain in
When we think of
European porcelain, we are more likely to think of the Germans and the French
than the Italians. Yet the Italians were among the first to make porcelain in
I have only heard
about them and read about them, but there supposedly are a few porcelains on
display in
If
this is true or not, the Italians were not far behind the Germans. In 1737, Carlo Ginori opened a porcelain factory on his estate in Doccia just outside
Using his vast
wealth, Ginori began buying classical statuary and
ordering casts be made of famous marble sculptures.
Carlo Ginori left his business to his son Lorenzo,
who left it to his son, Carlo Leopoldo. Ginori porcelains would be collected not only by the
Medici, but by all of
In 1896, the Ginori company merged with Richard
Ceramics, a Milanese manufacturer, and became Richard-Ginori.
It is still in business today.
Appraisals: It is
difficult to find a piece of Ginori of any age under
$100. Most standard vases, jardinieres and figurines
fall in the $150-$450 range.
Today’s
most sought-after and expensive Ginori pieces are not
the oldest. They are the Art Deco pieces made between 1923 and 1930 and
designed by Gio Ponti, who
was the company's art director during that period. Most of these pieces are in
the $1,000 to $6,000 range, although you may be able to find a Ponti mug or cup and saucer here and there for about $125.
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Arthur Schwerdt, a certified appraiser, is author of "The
Antique Story Book: Finding the Real Value of Old Things," and co-owner of
The August Farmhouse Antiques on Route 9 in Swainton.
Direct your comments and appraisal questions (with photo) to him at aschwerdt@cmcherald.com.
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