ULISSE CANTAGALLI, FLORENCE, ITALY, LATE 19TH CENTURY

Ulisse Cantagalli (1839-1901) founded the Manifattura Cantagalli in Florence in 1878 with his brother Giuseppe. The Cantagalli 'Iznik-style' ceramics can be identified by their signature cockerel marker on the base of the vessels. This unique signature and the non Iznik typical size and form of many Cantagalli vessels reveal that the Italian producers did not seek simply to create Iznik reproductions (Walter B. Denny, Iznik : the Artistry of the Ottoman Ceramics, London, 2004, p.222). The present dish appears to be closer to Ottoman originals however and seems almost directly inspired by a dish in the Louvre, with similar cobalt-blue ground and aubergine and sage green flowers (No. 6643, Nurhan Atasoy and Julian Raby, edited by Yanni Petsopoulos, Iznik, London, 1994, cat. 363) The Louvre dish is dated circa 1550-55. See also the following lot for two Cantagalli candlesticks in the same style.

During his time in Florence in 1892, William de Morgan used Cantagalli decorators as well as the factory's kilns to produce some of his pieces.