Italian Majolica Appraisal

DeSimone Italian majolica serving bowl

This is a vibrantly painted DeSimone Italian majolica serving bowl, characterized by its distinctive folk-art style. The bowl is made of ceramic with a white glazed base, providing a bright canvas for the colorful hand-painted decorations. Its shape appears to be a shallow, oval or slightly irregular round form, typical of serving dishes. The interior of the bowl features a bold color palette, including a central deep blue concentric circle, surrounded by a swirl of teal or light green, which is then encircled by a vibrant red band. Following this, a narrow band of darker blue, then a wider red band, and finally a sunny yellow band rings the interior rim. The outermost edge of the rim is adorned with evenly spaced red polka dots on a white background. These polka dots extend over the lip of the bowl, suggesting the hand-painted nature of the piece where the design might slightly wrap around. The painting style is playful and somewhat naive, indicating a traditional folk art approach rather than highly refined detail. The colors are bright and glossy, suggesting a well-maintained glaze. No specific wear, cracks, chips, or repairs are immediately visible from the provided image, but the reflection on the glossy surface hints at minor surface irregularities, which are common in hand-crafted pottery. The overall condition appears good, with no obvious signs of significant damage. Given the context 'DeSimone Italy 88/1 e.', this suggests it is an authentic piece from the DeSimone ceramics workshop, known for their distinctive and colorful designs, established in Italy. The '88/1 e.' could be a production number, model number, or artist's mark, indicating its manufacturing details. These pieces are typically from the mid-20th century onwards. The hand-painted quality and recognizable style point to good craftsmanship within its specific artistic niche.