In October of 2019, my nephew Jason and myself, found a late nineteenth century classic style terracotta pot adorned with putti (cherubs) at the Chelsea Flea Market in Manhattan. This object closely matched objects shown in a company catalog from the Galloway Terracotta Company in Philadelphia, and was later published in a feature story I wrote for the February 3, 2023 issue of Antiques & Auction News, titled, The Galloway Terra-Cotta Company of Philadelphia: A Brief Examination: http://www.earlyamericanceramics.com/2023/01/new-published-story-galloway-terra.html.
Fast forward to last week, where my niece Alexis and myself, found a circa 1902-1923 classic style terracotta pot made at Dini & Cellai Terrecotte di Signa near Florence, Italy in a thrift store in Saugus, Massachusetts. The idea behind this object is very similar to what was being produced at the Galloway Terracotta Company in Philadelphia about the same period. Interestingly, there is a terracotta pot made by Dini & Cellai Terrecotte di Signa that is in the collection of the National Museum of Warsaw in Poland, which is also decorated with putti or cherubs (see below).
I think this is a fascinating comparison! But the discovery of the pot in Saugus also likely retains a much bigger story of immigration to America, as well as the 1904 World's Fair, etc. It was even found alongside a second object from the same Italian manufacturer, where the discovery of these Italian-made objects is a subject of a feature story that will be published sometime in the near future! It is really a fascinating story!
Terracotta Pots Made in Philadelphia and Near Florence, Italy
Please Stay Tuned...Much More to Come...
No comments:
Post a Comment