Set of two Italian style flowered vases 8.5 inches tall and 8 inches wide at the widest spot in the center. They have ornamental handles on the side. The flowers and leaves on the design are painted. The rest of the base is textured with sand. Each vase has few small chips on some of the decorative leaves, flowers, and/or lips. Some of the chipped off pieces are held in a separate box. Each vase has a distinctive brown mark on the bottom. One vase has just one line. The other has three lines, plus a triangle with a dot.
Inherited from my great-grandparents, Angelo and Emma Marie Tesseroni, who came from Italy in the 1870s. My father said he wasn't sure if the vases came with my great-grandparents from Italy or were acquired in New York City after their arrival in the USA. If they were acquired in New York City it would have been before 1909.
Dear Roger,
Thank you for contacting Mearto with your appraisal inquiry.
The marks don't look familiar to me but these are Pallissy-ware vases similar to lots of pieces made in Italy in the 19th Century; it's most likely that these were acquired in Italy and brought to the US when your great-grandparents came over.
Based on the photographs and information provided, and subject to examination, this is:
A pair of Italian Palissy-ware earthenware two-handled vases
late 19th century
With crimped rim and of baluster form, the cream-colored ground lushly decorated with applied flowers and leaves, marked indistinctly underneath.
8 1/2 inches tall, 8 inches diameter
PROVENANCE: inherited from great-grandparents
$300-500*
*represents a fair-market value for auction purposes; retail or asking price may vary.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palissy_ware is as good a place to start as any.
it's costly to repair porcelains (often times more expensive than the value of the piece) and doesn't necessarily add to the value - in fact, a botched repair will devalue it.
I am not aware of any porcelain restorers near you but you can always reach out to a local auction house and see if they recommend anyone. Before you work with anyone, I would ask to see samples of their repair work; if anyone is hesitant to share that, that would be a red flag to me.
Good luck!
Thank you very much. Can you tell me where or if I can get them repaired. Also can you tell me more about Palissy warE or how I can find out more.