R.B. - Alcobaca (Portugal)

Raul da Bernarda & Filhos Lda was originally established in Alcobaca in 1875 and was recently closed, as happened to a large number of Portuguese pottery factories during the last years. Where we once had labour units now we have museums (in the best cases), sad, VERY VERY SAD...
R.B. was taken in 1900 by Manuel Ferreira da Bernarda and became the most important factory in Alcobaca, a small town with a large and relevant pottery production. By the middle of the century, the factory had about 50 employees and began to export. The pieces I'm going to post are from this period, they have a graphic appealing, strong colours and a humourous feeling.

17 cm wide dish:





I hope you can see the textured glaze, typical of R.B. production during the 50s and 60s.

23 cm

29 x 28 cm vase, shape 600, this shape was made with several diferent patterns.
Here we have pattern n.17, it shows a night life scene with a stereotypical Lisbon couple, maybe a Fado singer and her boyfriend, according to the tradition, a kind of pimp, taking a walk through the stairs of an old neighborhood (it could be Alfama or Mouraria). Followed, of course, by the sardine eater striped cat. This pattern was also used in wall plates and small dishes.

60's small pot (shape 1550) with transfer decoration.

The similarity to some pieces made in the San Marino area is amazing , obviously a popular theme and technique at the time .

Hi Ed, you look so different, I almost didn't recognise you. It's a new hairdo? Or maybe you caught some sun?...
I agree with you, I think these pieces have a strong Italian influence, and I really appreciate this kind of feedback as I'm trying to find out which were the strongest mid century taste influences on the portuguese factories. Thanks.

Your welcome Rita , BTW it's a long time since Iv'e had to bother about a hairdo , Question - do you collect or have any spanish ceramics?, Ed

Sorry Ed, I know nothing about Spanish ceramics except I like some Sargadelos and hate most of Lladrós
Do you mean something specific? I can try to find out.

No , not exactly specific , but my main interest is studio pottery , just wondered if you knew of any, ps Lladro is deffo not my thing

I'm disappointed... I always thought you were a huge Lladró fan

Rita just a point - http://italianpotterymarks.freeforums.org/i-c-s-industria-ceramica-salernitana-1927-1940-t126.html

Walter Del Pellegrino has a site that suggested that some san marino pieces carried a marcel fantoni signature ( fake ) there is a piece in millers guide described as fantoni , but most is most probably a fake coming from the far east .

http://fatlava.forummotion.com/t4145-potential-fantoni-fakes-from-the-far-east-renamed-thread?highlight=fantoni

here are some in question .

Hi Ed, this is all quite interesting. From what I understand this fake pieces are not from the 50's and 60's they're made recently, maybe to take advantage of the growing prices on the market. What is the piece in Millers guide? Is it one of these: http://www.millersantiquesguide.com/search/0/?more=item&keyword=fantoni&submitted=1&x=26&y=11
In the my three Millers guides the only piece I can find by Fantoni it's a lamp base with a knight figure, is it that? The problem is that Millers doesn't show pictures of the bases marks.

Well, I don't know how this fake Fantoni conversation came about but it definetly has nothing to do with the RB - Alcobaca production. All the pieces made by the factory are well identified and, although clearly influenced by Italian production of the 50's, these are not imitations. European production of the 50's and 60's has strong inner connections, the Italians are also obviously influenced by the Germans, especially the Vietri production.

Here is a another vase, shape 600, the same size as the one I posted before but even more clearly influenced by a certain kind of Italian production.



Here it is a very similar italian one:

http://www.millersantiquesguide.com/items/104334/a-1950s-italian-vase-with-/

In the millers guide 2011 edition on page 75 there is a fantoni attribution valued at £300-500 by wallis & wallis auctions , base mark is clear , but as far as we have been told ,Fantoni never did anything like this and it's more akin to san marino pieces , which it is , they are exact same as San marino and painted signature on them , these are being made in the far east from a lighter clay ( easier to import) the conversation came about in the similarity of design to some of your pieces and San Marino , Not Fantoni .

R.Ferrao wrote:Here is a another vase, shape 600, the same size as the one I posted before but even more clearly influenced by a certain kind of Italian production.



Here it is a very similar italian one:

http://www.millersantiquesguide.com/items/104334/a-1950s-italian-vase-with-/

Yes Rita , Very similar that's what I am saying, The Spanish pottery signed CASES also has these motifs.

Hi Ed, thanks for the reference. I'll have to research for the CASES 50's and 60's production

Wall plate - 36,5 cm





More information here:
http://ceramicamodernistaemportugal.blogspot.pt/2012/08/pratos-de-parede-raul-da-bernarda.html

Red cruet, late 50's or 60's (very italian).







More information here:
http://ceramicamodernistaemportugal.blogspot.pt/2012/06/galheteiro-e-prato-raul-da-bernarda.html

Tray
c.25 cm long



http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lRlTLmeVmZU/T8ynF0EO1KI/AAAAAAAACX0/_6CueN22nMg/s1600/RB.jpg

First time I see one with the stoppers.