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bartvanget

Vase markings: Alcobaca Portugal Sec: XVII

bartvanget
14 years ago

Hi, I purchased this attractive vase in a yard sale and there are some interesting marking on the bottom. Would anyone out there be so kind as to give some insight as to what these markings might mean as well as anything you might know about this vase or the pottery of Alcobaca Portugal in general.

Thank you!



Comments (2)

  • lindac
    14 years ago

    It looks like faience to me. Alcobaca is a region in Portugal noted for it's pottery Sorry I dno't know what the rest of the marks mean...likely one is the design.
    there are and were lots and lots of works where faience/majolica was and is made.
    Because it says Portugal, it's very very unlikely that it is older than 1922. Mostlikely it's something picked up as "tourist ware"...
    Very pretty though and obviously hand painted.
    Linda C

  • darenka
    14 years ago

    It is very pretty and I hope you enjoy it even though you probably hoped it was an antique. Typically, the c.c. sec. means the century the work was model on--often inspired by a particular painting or historic piece of work. In this case, I'd guess that is a part of a painting or tile scene done in the 17th century that is referred to as 'painting 63' in the trade. Sometimes, factories have individual workers identify their work with a number. So in this case, worker number 63 painted that vase. They always list the region/town the pottery came from--here Alcobaca.

    If I had to guess, I'd say it's less than 10 years old. In Portugal, different regions have their own style of pottery. This is similar to a Coimbra style--very different from Alcobaca style. It's only been quite recently that you would see a factory produce things for marketability instead of in the traditional style. With the exception of individual artists doing very unique things, one could look at a piece of pottery and identify it's origin simply by the style. Alcobaba's most internationally famous pottery comes from Bordallo Pinheiro. The region does produce great 1st class art pottery, and one of the region's factories makes a lot of stuff for IKEA--great in it's own right--just not hand painted like your vase is.

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