CHINESE GENTLEMAN FIGURE MAJOLICA - Eugenio Pattarino, Italy

STANDS AT 4 INCHES TALL, A VERY NICELY HAND MODELLED AND BRIGHTLY GLAZED, RED CLAY FIGURE OF A CHINESE SAGE. THERE DOES APPEAR TO BE A SIGNATURE INSIDE THE BODY OF THE PIECE, BUT CAN'T IDENTIFY ALL OF THE CHARACTERS... I WAS WONDERING IF IT MAY BE ITALIAN IN ORIGIN? ANYONE KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT POTENTIAL ARTIST/MAKER? THANKS.

Possibly Italian. We had something similar a while back. I’ll see if I can find the post

Thanks... Much appreciated.

Does it say "mandarino" ?

COULD BE, I GUESS... CAN SEE A CAP 'A' AT THE BEGINNING, IS THERE A FAINT LETTER BEFORE IT? 'R' OR 'M'?
? A ?? ARINO ? THEN THERE IS ONE OR TWO CHARACTERS BEFORE WHAT LOOKS TO BE 'ARINO' WHATEVER IT IS, IT KINDA SOUNDS ITALIAN, BUT WHO IS THE ARTIST/MAKER?? THANKS FOR YOUR OBSERVATION. CHEERS

There is a useful link on this post to Italian pottery

https://www.20thcenturyforum.com/t14717-italy-x2-seahorse-lights-manifattura-artistica-ceramica-salernitana

The other possibility is Dutch Delft

I'VE UPLOADED ANOTHER 5 IMAGES, BETTER, SHARPER QUALITY. HOPEFULLY SOMEONE OUT THERE WILL RECOGNISE THIS PIECE. I LOVE IT AND THINK IT MAY HAVE SOME AGE... ? IS IT DUTCH... IS IT ITALIAN???

Think I might have found it... 'PATTARINO' as in Prof. Eugenio Pattarino, Italy. What say all of you?

Yes, I think you’re right