Pair of 19th Century Capodimonte Porcelain Figurines, circa 1830-1890
View Similar Items
Pair of 19th Century Capodimonte Porcelain Figurines, circa 1830-1890
About the Item
- Creator:Capodimonte (Manufacturer)
- Dimensions:Height: 14.5 in (36.83 cm)Width: 5.25 in (13.34 cm)Depth: 5.25 in (13.34 cm)
- Sold As:Set of 2
- Style:Victorian (Of the Period)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:circa 1830-1890
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use. minor chips.
- Seller Location:Pittsburgh, PA
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU108386974673
Capodimonte
If success is measured by lasting name recognition, Capodimonte would seem to be in the same league as such makers as Meissen, Sèvres and Wedgwood. Early examples of the Italian manufacturer’s celebrated porcelain vases, figurines and sculptures can be hard to come by, but the best later pieces possess the same over-the-top charm.
The Real Fabbrica (“royal factory”) di Capodimonte hasn’t actually produced porcelain since the early 19th century, when Charles’s son Ferdinand sold it. Although secondary manufacturers have built upon the aesthetic and kept the name alive, some connoisseurs of the royal product feel these pieces should be labeled “in the style of” Capodimonte.
The timeline of royal Capodimonte porcelain is decidedly brief. From beginning to end, its manufacture lasted approximately 75 years. King Charles VII of Naples, who founded the manufactory in 1743, began experimenting with porcelain around 1738, the year he married Maria Amalia of Saxony. No coincidence there. His new bride was the granddaughter of Augustus the Strong, Elector of Saxony and founder of Meissen, the first European hard-paste porcelain manufactory. Her dowry included 17 Meissen table services.
Struck by porcelain fever, Charles built a dedicated facility on top of a hill (capo di monte) overlooking Naples. He financed expeditions to search for the right clay. He hired chemists and artisans to experiment. His earliest successes were small white snuffboxes and vases, although efforts soon progressed to full sets of tableware, decorative objects and stylized figurines of peasants and theatrical personalities.
In 1759, Charles succeeded to the throne of Spain. He moved the manufactory with him — including 40 workers and 4 tons of clay — and continued operations in Madrid. Twelve years later, his son Ferdinand IV, who inherited the throne of Naples, built a new factory there that became known for distinctly rococo designs.
The Napoleonic wars interrupted production, and around 1807, oversight of the royal factories was transferred to a franchisee named Giovanni Poulard-Prad.
Beginning in the mid-18th century, porcelain made by Charles’s factory was stamped with a fleur-de-lis, usually in underglaze blue. Pieces from Ferdinand’s were stamped with a Neapolitan N topped by a crown. When secondary manufacturers began production, they retained this mark, in multiple variations. The value of these later 19th- and 20th-century pieces is determined by the quality, not the Capodimonte porcelain marks.
Find antique and vintage Capodimonte porcelain on 1stDibs.
- Capodimonte late 19th Century White Porcelain Group of Male and Female FigurinesBy CapodimonteLocated in Firenze, ITA lovely antique Italian Capodimonte white porcelain biscuit male and female figurines sculptured in the round depicting in a very romantic moment. This centrepiece group features tw...Category
Antique 19th Century Italian Romantic Figurative Sculptures
MaterialsPorcelain
- Capodimonte, 19th Century Italian Pair of Majolica GriffonsBy CapodimonteLocated in North Miami, FLCapodimonte 19th Century Italian opposing pair of majolica crowned and winged griffon figures. Both are signed on the bottom base with the signature used from 1771 - 1834. Each featured grasping a shield with painted griffin motifs...Category
Antique 19th Century Italian Animal Sculptures
MaterialsPorcelain
$3,160 Sale Price / set20% Off - 19th Century Italian Antique Porcelain Sculpture by CapodimonteBy CapodimonteLocated in Casale Monferrato, ITBeautiful sculptural group in refined Capodimonte porcelain. A young mother walks with her little girls accompanied by a tender fawn. Please note the sweetness expressed by this rare...Category
Antique 1880s Italian Porcelain
MaterialsPorcelain
- 19th Century Italian Antique Porcelain Sculpture by CapodimonteBy CapodimonteLocated in Casale Monferrato, ITBeautiful pair of statues in refined Capodimonte porcelain. Two young girls dancing. Characterized by elegant eighteenth-century dresses with full lace skirts completely made in porc...Category
Antique 1880s Italian Porcelain
MaterialsPorcelain
- Italian Porcelain Set of 2 Figurines by CapodimonteBy CapodimonteLocated in Casale Monferrato, ITBeautiful set of 2 italian fine porcelain hand painting figurines by Capodimonte, circa 1990s. Brand present at the base. Two small defects, one of the boy's fingers and the girl's h...Category
1990s Italian Porcelain
MaterialsPorcelain
- Fine 19th Century Porcelain Capodimonte Group of Cherubs and a GoatBy CapodimonteLocated in Dallas, TXThis bright Capodimonte porcelain group of four putti and a goat symbolizes abundance and the spirit of life. Capodimonte was originally an 18th century Italian porcelain...Category
Antique Late 19th Century Italian Classical Greek Porcelain
MaterialsPorcelain