A Pair Of Exquisite Antique Italian Majolica Plates With Family Crests

This is a pair of exquisite and rare antique Italian plates with family crests that date from the 18th century or older. They are hand made in majolica - a glazed pottery that became extremely famous in Italy since its arrival from Spain in the 15th century. The main characteristic of majolica is its opaque white glazed surface decorated with multi-coloured brush hand paintings. This is a stunning example of the early Italian majolica. These two plates that originate from a Roman Palazzo bear family crests with crowns, trees, serpents, the moon etc, giving them a mystical appeal. They are extremely elegant due to the large white background around the central coat of arms. Each plate contains a metal holder so that they could be displayed on a wall if desired. Otherwise they would look exceptional on a flat surface as well. They are in lovely antique condition considering their age and exactly as I discovered them. Each plate measures 43 cm or about 17 inches in diameter. For the full condition please refer to the images!