Republic of San Marino (Italy)

The Republic of San Marino is the oldest state and the third smallest country in Europe (after the Vatican and Monaco) - it's completely surrounded by Italy. In the 1960s there were a number of potteries in San Marino producing tourist souvenir stuff (often with the name of an Italian resort) that were sold all over Italy. I particularly like the items they produced (like those following) which didn't have a place name but instead groovy 1960s looking girls and flowers. Marked to the bases in various different ways - a couple of marks are shown.

I used to have one of these:



She's gone to a new home so I can't show her bottom , sorry. I don't think it was marked though.

xx

This style of decor appears on san marino ,and also cases (spain) this one marked bellagio , I know its Italy can anyone tell me what connection might be .

Hi Ed, "Bellagio" is a small town in northern Italy at the Largo Como. But i think its origin is San Marino.

measures 32cm across

some vallauris pieces are marked menton(or some other town) because they were made for a shop in menton maybe this is a similar situation

Good point Tenpot - perhaps they were especially marked as such for a retailer in the town.

You have shown fantastic examples of San Marino ceramics but I don't believe that the second example shown in your post belongs there. i don't believe the vase, although very much in the regional style, was made in San Marino. Ceramiche Melior is located in Sesto Fiorentino, a suburb of Florence (Firenze). Of course it is possible that another company by that name once operated in San Marino but in general most potteries operating there are also marked "San Marino" or "RSM"

Walter Del Pellegrino
Author of "Italian Pottery Marks from Cantagalli to Fornasetti" and other Italian pottery guides
.

Hi Walter, our paths have crossed before on the eBay PGP board. It's great to see you've joined our board since we're in need of some help with 20th century Italian ceramics. Another of our members, Big Ed, and I have been discussing Bertoncello ceramics - Ed has uncovered some interesting information and we're keen to find out more.

With regard to your post above about San Marino ceramics - which example specifically are you referring to as being Ceramiche Melior - was it a vase in my opening post?

Ah OK, yes it was the 3rd pot in my opening post which had Melior scratched on the base. So a pottery in Florence called Ceramiche Melior made it - how interesting. Do you know if there were any links between Melior and San Marino?

Good morning.
There is n connection between Melior and San Marino that I can uncover.
I can offer more information on the potters of San Marino if you feel your members would be interested.
By the way, I was fascinated by the Bertoncello ceramics and I responded to the post with the company's contact information.
Walter

Yes please! Any information you wish to share would be very welcome...

Here is a short list of the best known potteries of San Marino

Marmaca : 1940 - 1964
Titano: 1952 - 1981, ‘TITANO’ stands for ‘MONTE TITANO’, the mountain San Marino was built on.
Arcas:1954 - 1981/82
SAM (Società Anonima Marina): 1955 - 1989
SACAS (renamed ACAS,Artigianato Ceramiche Artistiche Sammarinesi, in 1964): 1954 - 1990
Libertas 1955 -1987
Masi - 1937- 1949
Stella Polare (North Star): 1962 - 1989

The potters of San Marino concentrated essentially on art pottery for the tourist trade and the manufacture of unusual bottles
for the makers of Luxardo, a cherry-based liqueur.
I will probably have time over the next week to add some of the histories of these companies.

I should also mention that I also maintain a new forum devoted to Italian pottery

Walter