Vintage Deruta Ceramics

Our customer, Bunny J., in nearby Chapin, SC, sent us a photo of her kitchen decked out in Italian vintage Deruta ceramics from EuroLuxHome.com.  Bunny has been a great customer for many years. In the past she's purchased an armoire, a set of 8 chairs, and lots of vintage majolica and pewter pieces.

I love how Bunny has created a nice sense of balance with her display of ceramics. That large yellow and blue plate is a cheerful focal point in the attractive tile nook. Old hand-painted majolica always adds a welcoming note in a kitchen. While Capodimonte is probably Italy's most famous porcelain manufacturer, collectors in the know also look out for vintage Deruta majolica.

This vintage Deruta pot is a nice example, and it's one of the antique and vintage ceramics and majolica pieces in our gallery right now. Majolica means a hand-painted earthenware pottery with a tin glaze and it is named for the Spanish island of Majorca. The style spread to Italy, including to the medieval town of Deruta in Umbria. The local clay around Deruta was so good for ceramics that craftsmen were firing up their kilns by the early Middle Ages. They really hit their artistic stride in the 15th and early 16th centuries.

The vintage Deruta pharmacy pot dates to the 1950s, hand-painted with a Renaissance design.  It was found in a European antiques market. We think it would be lovely in a kitchen as a canister for flour, sugar, salt, or spices.

I can't resist showing you this incredible Italian fountain that we have in the gallery too. Deruta ceramics are still being made and although the hand-made fountain is not vintage Deruta it is a beautiful example of the style.

The Deruta fountain shows the Moorish influence of majolica's Spanish heritage and the doves and flowers are also typical of Italian majolica. The doves are taking a drink from the running water that pours from the spout into the sink below

When I first saw the fountain, I was delighted by how very Italian it is in spirit. How can we see the lemons and grapes on the fountain and not think about living La Dolce Vita?

The fountain looks like a pedestal sink, but really this colorful new hand-painted fountain is meant for a garden, patio, porch or sunroom. It's more than 6 feet tall - that's a lot of Italian style! .

The use of blue, orange and yellow are also typical of Deruta majolica. Those sunny Mediterranean colors always bring a smile to my face and they perk up any space.

Thanks to Bunny for inspiring us with the vintage Deruta ceramics in her kitchen! If you have any old (or even new) Deruta majolica, I'd love to hear what you like about it. Tell us in the comments box below.