Ceramic Cups and Saucers by Alfredo Santarelli for Gualdo Tadino, 1890s, Set of 6

Details

Description

Measurements:
cups: height: 6.5 cm; width: 8.5 cm; depth: 6 cm
saucers: diameter 12 cm

item description:
wonderful set of … Read more Measurements:
cups: height: 6.5 cm; width: 8.5 cm; depth: 6 cm
saucers: diameter 12 cm

item description:
wonderful set of three coffee cups with saucers, made of glazed and vitrified ceramic, entirely hand-modeled on a potter's wheel, with raffaello-style decoration and a central heraldic shield with a blue dragon, a wide band around the rim with a cobalt blue background decorated in sienese gold yellow and ruby red, harpies and floral decorations on the saucers, all entirely decorated by hand and finished with beautiful sienese gold and ruby metallic glazes. There is a numbering under the base of the saucers. The cups are not signed. Usually in sets, especially those from the 1800s, only the three most important pieces were signed, the coffee pot, the milk jug, and the sugar bowl, never the cups and saucers. In fact, we also have the sugar bowl from the same set for sale, which is signed with the initials of alfredo santarelli, as, in gold lustre. We have included a photo of the signature on the sugar bowl in this listing. It is the oldest signature of the great master, to whom this lot of three cups can also be easily attributed. They can be dated to around the end of the 1800s.

useful information for evaluating the item:
internet research shows that alfredo santarelli's vases are offered for sale or auctioned at prices ranging from a minimum of €400-500 to a maximum of €2,000-3,000, with the very large ones exceeding €5,000. This gives an idea of the value of santarelli's ceramics.

final considerations on the item:
the raphaelesque decorations on both the cups and saucers are very beautiful. All three cups have a beautiful antique patina and fabulous sienese gold metallic glazes. The meticulous, small decorations covering most of the pieces, created by the artist with a brush tip, are also particularly valuable. Finally, the three heraldic shields with a blue dragon in the center, each slightly different from the other, are sublime. Created entirely by hand, brushstroke by brushstroke, they are true works of ceramic art for art lovers and collectors.

information about the artist and/or manufacturer:
alfredo santarelli was born in gualdo tadino in 1874 and studied at the royal academy of fine arts in perugia, graduating in 1897. He became interested in ceramics while working at the rubboli kiln in pesaro, where he was a pupil of the ceramist giuseppe discepoli. Fascinated by the art of majolica, in 1899 he began his first experiments to reproduce the gold and ruby reflections of the ancient ceramics of his homeland. His early works were awarded prizes for the metallic reflections applied to the majolica at exhibitions in perugia and foligno. At the end of the 19th century, he collaborated with the gualdo-based manufacturer "fedi ceramiche." encouraged by the results obtained, in 1900 santarelli opened a workshop without a kiln where the kilns of francesco biagioli, known as il monina, had stood in the 17th century. Here, in addition to training new workers, he produced ceramics that he fired in an external kiln. In 1901, he married eleonora sergiacomi, daughter of the ceramist salvatore and an expert muffler. Between 1906 and 1908, he taught at the school of design in gualdo and collaborated with many of the kilns in the area. In 1907 and 1912, he won a cup of honor and a grand prize in perugia, and in 1908, he won a gold medal in gubbio. In 1919, he was invited to deruta to direct the local school of applied design for ceramics, where he opened a ceramics factory that he ran for two years. In 1921, he returned to gualdo and, with the help of his son vittorugo, quickly turned his factory, santarelli ceramiche, into a large, well-equipped, modern facility, opening a free school of applied design within it. In 1925, he was one of the promoters of "c.i.m.a.", in which he participated with his factory until 1933. In 1940, he left the management of the factory to his son vittorugo, but continued his work as a ceramist. In the 1940s, in addition to producing traditional metallic lustre ceramics, he began a modern style of production in which the use of gold was combined with opaque glazes and rough surfaces that seemed to be influenced by contemporary deruta ceramics. In the 1950s, the factory was located at via monina 11 in gualdo tadino. In 1953, the factory was taken over by ceramist teobaldo pimpinelli and alfredo santarelli, who, with the help of his son and ezio rondelli, founded a company called "ceramiche di gualdo e deruta prof. A. Santarelli," which remained active until 1955. Alfredo santarelli died in gualdo tadino in 1957.


this piece is attributed to the mentioned designer/maker. It has no attribution mark and no
official proof of authenticity,
however it is well documented in design history. I take full responsibility for any authenticity



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