Italian Ceramics: Marks of Authenticity

23 Jul 2024 · 1 min

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1:01

In this brief excerpt from a YouTube video, Speaker A asks how to tell whether Italian ceramic pieces encountered at flea markets or contemporary venues are genuine antiques or modern reproductions, and how to assess their age and value. Speaker B explains that distinguishing old from new Italian ceramics is challenging because many pieces simply bear the word "Italy" on the base. Specific maker marks can provide clues: older pieces often carry the "Fantoni for Raymour" stamp, while newer production may show a "Bottassi Ciremiché" mark, and some items feature a "Rosenthal Netter" label. However, these indicators are not definitive, and the conversation concludes that consulting an expert is advisable for accurate identification and valuation.

I see these all over the place, but sometimes I see these in like contemporary places, and I'm assuming they're reproductions. How do you know if it's a new one or an old one, or, or what I'm doing if I see these at a flea market or somewhere else? How do I determine age or value?
So with a lot of antiques, you know, the more you handle them, the more you learn. With, with the Italian ceramics, it's a little hard to discern from old to new. A lot of them will just have a simple Italy on the bottom of them, or for example, this one says Fantoni for Raymour. Fantoni's always gonna be older. I would— the newer pieces have a Bottassi Ciremiché mark that aren't— it's a little bit different. Some of the labels will just have Rosenthal Netter. It's hard, it's hard to pinpoint that.
Sometimes I'm thinking you need an expert to kind of guide through these things for sure.