An Urbino istoriato armorial dish, by the "painter of the coal-mine dish", circa 1545

brilliantly painted with Phaeton supplicating his father Apollo in his temple, the sky with Phaeton falling from Apollo's chariot, one cloud painted in miniature with the stemma of Bandini of Florence, on a conical foot (some restoration, minor chips)

area of rim from 7 to 9 o'clock restored, typical minor chips.
"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."

The arms were thought previously to be those of Sanseverino.
Phaeton, son of Apollo, persuaded his father to allow him to ride his chariot across the skies for one day. He was unable to control the horses however and they bolted, causing the Earth itself to catch fire. Zeus, father of the Gods, put a stop to this with a thunderbolt which wrecked the chariot and sent Phaeton hurtling down in flames in the River Eridanus. Another Urbino dish painted with this subject by Nicola da Urbino from the Isabella d'Este service, circa 1524, was sold Sotheby's London, 7 December 2010, lot 5.

John Mallet identified a group of dishes painted by a similar hand after a dish painted on the back with an open-cast coal mine and a blue-headed pick with the inscription Tesaurs. Carbones. Erant (coals were treasure), now in the George Gardiner Museum of Ceramics, Toronto. For the first essay and attributing the work of the "painter of the coal-mine dish", see John Mallet, in Italian Renaissance Pottery, Timoth Wilson (ed.), London, 1991, pp. 62-73.