Giovanni di Nicola Manzoni dal Colle (active early 16th century) Italian, Faenza, circa 1507-1516

Beresford Hope Collection, sold Sotheby's London, 5 December 1967, lot 234
Finarte Milan, June 1996, lot 325

When the ink stand appeared on the market in 1967 the lion's feet were broken off at the ankles. When it reappeared at Christie's in 1985 the feet were restored and a large ceramic base was added. Currently the ink stand is restored more subtly: only the lions's feet are additions. There are two stable hairline cracks running through the underside and the ground on which the crib is placed. Mary's halo is lost while Joseph's is partially lost. The left back corner of the roof of the stall is lost. There are some further minor chips throughout. And there are a few irregularities to the glazing due to the difficulty of firing such an elaborate group. The unglazed section of the ink pot at Mary's knees is a cartouche on which the purchaser of the ceramic could have his coat of arms engraved upon delivery of the piece.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

This fine maiolica inkstand is part of an important group of ceramic Nativities housed in several major collections. The presence of very similar Nativity inkstands signed IOHANES NICHOLAI DEMAZONIBUS DECOLLE in the Budapest Museum (see E.S. Cserey and C. Ravanelli Guidotti) and Sèvres Museum (op. cit. Giacomotti) firmly attributes this fine and rare inkstand to Dal Colle. Furthermore, a quantity of comparable small figures now in the Faenza Museum was excavated in the Faenza vicinity, suggesting a similar geographical origin for the present Nativity.

Some other small-figure maiolica groups place the present Nativity in the first quarter of the 16^th century. Specifically, the Collection del Conte Guicciardini Corsi Salviati contained a group dated 1507 while the Faenza Museum holds an example from 1509. On the 20^th of March 1973 a Nativity with slightly differing proportions of the Christ Child and stable dated 1510 was sold in these rooms. C. Ravanelli Guidotti (op.cit.) published a Nativity from a Sienese private collection which is dated 1516.

RELATED LITERATURE
Mostra dei tesori segreti delle case fiorentine, Florence, 1960, p. 80, no. 244, pl. 139; J. Giacomotti, Catalogues des majoliques des museès nationeaux, Paris, 1974, p. 73, cat. 290; E.S. Cserey, 'Di un calamaio in maiolica del rinascimento al Museo delle Arti Applicate di Budapest', Faenza, LXI, 1975, pp. 86-93; J.E. Poole, Italian Maiolica and incised slipware in the Fitzwilliam Museum Cambridge, Cambridge, 1995, no. 324; L. Arbace, La Maiolica Italiana, Museo della Ceramica, Duca di Martina, Napoli, 1996, cat.11; C. Ravanelli Guidotti, Thesaurus, Faenza, 1998, pp. 221-7, fig. 9-18