The Pisan Galley

A hand-painted maiolica bowl by San Zeno of Pisa, a small Tuscan artisan studio working near the Basilica of San Zeno. The squat, rounded form is decorated with scrolling grottesche and foliate motifs in cobalt blue, ochre and yellow over a cream tin glaze, now with a fine crackle from age. The base carries the studio's hand-painted mark — a Pisan merchant ship, a reference to the city's seafaring past — with “Zeno, Pisa, Italia” and the number 112. A characterful decorative bowl or cachepot with real provenance.

Origin: Pisa, Italy
Sourced in: Liguria
Era: c.1920s–1930s
Manufacturer: San Zeno, Pisa (marked to base with the Pisan ship device; numbered 112)
Materials: Hand-painted tin-glazed maiolica (earthenware)
Dimensions: W 18cm × H 13cm
Attribution: Marked and attributed to San Zeno, Pisa
Condition: Good vintage condition. Crazing and patina to the glaze consistent with age, with some surface wear — refer to photographs.
Notes: Decorative. Not intended for food use.