CAPO DI MONTE
Capo Di Monte was founded by Charles III. in 1736. It is considered
of native origin, as the art, which was kept so profound a secret in
Dresden, could, at that early period have scarcely had time to be
introduced here, the character of its productions being also so
essentially different. The King himself took great interest in it,
and is said to have worked occasionally in th emanufactory. Starrie
Porter, in a letter to Mr. Pitt (Lord Chatham), dated April 8, 1760,
speaking of this factory, says, "The King is particulary fond of his
china factory at Capo di Monte; during the fairs held annually in the
square before the palace at Naples, there is a shop or stall solely
for the sale of his china, and a note was matutinally brought to the
King of the articles sold, together with the names of the purchasers,
on whom he looked favourably." On obtaining the crown of Spain, he
took with him twenty-twp persons to form his establishment at Madrid.
The beautiful services and groups in coled relief are of the second
period, circa 1760. These are generally unmarked, but a peculiarity
which distinguishes the old from the more recent reproductions is the
stippled mode of rendering the flesh tints. This can be seen more
clearly when the specimens are examined under a magnifying glass.
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Capo Di Monte Mark
The earliest mark is a fleur-de-lis, generally roughly painted in blue,
as shown here. These marks have been hitherto considered as denoting
the ware made at Madrid only, but the fleur-de-lis was used both at
Capo di Monte and Madrid. In so placing these, we are guided by the
opinions of sevelar people well qualified to judge, and who, from long
residence in Italy, have come to that conclusion. The first mark
shown here has indeed always been appropriated to Capo di Montek, and
upon comparing it with those which follow, the similarity will be
admitted. It is really a badly formed fleur-de-lis. The manufacture
was abandoned in 1821.
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