Italian, Deruta, circa 1520-40

painted in blue and a bright canary yellow with an armorial shield circled by a broad border of alternating 'alla porcellana' flowers and bianco-sopra-bianco lozenge and seeded dots, the reverse with a crossed M within a foliate border, the rim with a border of crosses

private collection, Milan;
sold Sotheby's Milan, 9/10 June 2009, lot 149

A Deruta maiolica dish, circa 1520-1540 One chip 5mm to rim, most of the rest of the rim either worn or with tiny chips and flakes, typical of maiolica. Three firing stilt marks in well.
"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 crossed M mark is quite often found, on a wide range of un-lustred Deruta maiolica made during the first half of the sixteenth century. The mark tends to be attributed to 'the Mancini workshop', but with around twenty potters or painters of the name Mancini active in that period, there is no hard evidence enabling a specific attribution, or even that the M stands for Mancini.