Italian sgraffito Art Pottery Tile Wall Plaque signed ITALY B.16F  Mid Century with nice colors and flow I love the fish hanging.

16" wide by 16-1/2" tall 

Sku BV

Below is some information I found posted by Walter on line.

 The concept of scratching a design directly into the clay is known as Sgraffito. The Sgraffito technique of decorating pottery dates back as far as the 11th century but its popularity had faded away by about the 18th century. It took the efforts of a single ceramist in the early 20th century to revive the art form and revitalize an industry. Zulimo Aretini descended from ancient family of potters working in the Umbrian town of Perugia, near Deruta. Aretini, born in Monte San Savino in Arezzo in 1884, completed his apprenticeship in the family's pottery. Here he learned the secrets of traditional sgraffito practiced by his family since the sixteenth century. After being employed by such famous studios as Colonnata and SACA in Florence he decided, in 1929, to return home and open his own studio in Perugia. There he begins to reinterpret ancient sgraffito forms in an absolutely modern and original manner. His studio won almost immediate recognition and success. His workshop joined with a consortium of other potters in Deruta and Perugia and established international contacts for the export of their wares. It was Zulimo's international success that spurred the interest of the sgraffito wares of Montelupo and Montopoli.

From the 1920's to the early 1950's the very best importer of Italian ceramics in North America was the firm of Carbone. Their headquarters was Boston and they had showrooms on Fifth Avenue in New York City and n the Via Sassetti in Florence, Italy. I mention this fact because while I was perusing their 1927 catalogue (a very rare and hard to find book) I came across their line of sgraffito pottery which they labeled as "Graffito". Carbone represented four different potteries specializing in sgraffito ware. The company never mentioned their sources by name but rather designated the four studios by a catalogue code. The company emphasized the particular beauty of one factory which was located in Perugia (obviously Aretini's workshop). The offerings from this studio was designated with a model number preceded by the initials "MM". Those from the other studios contained the prefix "FR" and "PA". The fourth pottery was not mentioned. The manner of catalog designation leads me to wonder if the initials, GT, on your vase perhaps indicates that Carbone represented this workshop at a later date or perhaps was the fourth pottery mentioned but not listed in their 1927 catalogue? I simply don't know The concept of scratching a design directly into the clay is known as Sgraffito. The Sgraffito technique of decorating pottery dates back as far as the 11th century but its popularity had faded away by about the 18th century. It took the efforts of a single ceramist in the early 20th century to revive the art form and revitalize an industry. Zulimo Aretini descended from ancient family of potters working in the Umbrian town of Perugia, near Deruta. Aretini, born in Monte San Savino in Arezzo in 1884, completed his apprenticeship in the family's pottery. Here he learned the secrets of traditional sgraffito practiced by his family since the sixteenth century. After being employed by such famous studios as Colonnata and SACA in Florence he decided, in 1929, to return home and open his own studio in Perugia. There he begins to reinterpret ancient sgraffito forms in an absolutely modern and original manner. His studio won almost immediate recognition and success. His workshop joined with a consortium of other potters in Deruta and Perugia and established international contacts for the export of their wares. It was Zulimo's international success that spurred the interest of the sgraffito wares of Montelupo and Montopoli.

From the 1920's to the early 1950's the very best importer of Italian ceramics in North America was the firm of Carbone. Their headquarters was Boston and they had showrooms on Fifth Avenue in New York City and n the Via Sassetti in Florence, Italy. I mention this fact because while I was perusing their 1927 catalogue (a very rare and hard to find book) I came across their line of sgraffito pottery which they labeled as "Graffito". Carbone represented four different potteries specializing in sgraffito ware. The company never mentioned their sources by name but rather designated the four studios by a catalogue code. The company emphasized the particular beauty of one factory which was located in Perugia (obviously Aretini's workshop). The offerings from this studio was designated with a model number preceded by the initials "MM". Those from the other studios contained the prefix "FR" and "PA". The fourth pottery was not mentioned. The manner of catalog designation leads me to wonder if the initials, GT, on your vase perhaps indicates that Carbone represented this workshop at a later date or perhaps was the fourth pottery mentioned but not listed in their 1927 catalogue? I simply don't know the answer but certainly the time frame is the 1920's or 30's for your lamp base.

 Here is how traditional Sgraffito is created:

1. After your piece has reached leatherhard, and you have finished trimming it, paint a coat of slip onto the pot while it is centered and turning on the wheel. Do not paint the rim. Then invert the pot and repeat the procedure on the back side. Do not paint the bottom edge of the footring.

 2. Allow the slip to dry to the touch, and repeat step one, by adding a second coat of the same (or a different) slip to the inside and outside of the pot.

 3. Allow the slip to dry to the touch again. It will take longer this time. Be careful in handling the piece now, as it has absorbed water from the slip and will be softer and more easily distorted!

 4. After the second coat of slip has dried to the touch, you may begin to carve designs. You may band circles onto the pot while it is centered and spinning on the wheel, or just free hand carve, or both. Designs may be lightly carved at first with a needle tool so that changes can be made. If your design is one that repeats symmetrically, it is best to outline a grid on the pot before carving. 

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