[Sca-cooks] Re: Heraldry & Ceramics

[Elise Fleming]

Greetings.  The Cleveland Museum of Art has some examples.  In one of the
books I have, there's a picture of a "lusterware plate with the name of
'Maria'" which also includes what looks to be some armorial design.  This
is earthen ware, tin glazed with golden lustre decoration, 46.2 cm.
diameter, made in Spain, in the second or third decade of the 15th century
around Valencia.  "Large ornamental plates in this style became so renowned
that personalized examples were ordered not only from the four corners of
Spain but also from as far as Italy and France, with the prominent
inclusion of the arms of the owner to be."  There are also several examples
of Maiolica Plate with portraits in the center.  This is earthenware,
tin-glazed again. 

You noted that your friend's persona is from the 1300s (14th c.) in France.
The Museum's material is about 100 years later (1420, 1430).  You might
want to check to see if lusterware, maiolica or tin-glazed ware was made as
early as the 1300s.  (Found a lovely pitcher painted in  "The Merode
Altarpiece, Annunciation"done by Robert Campin (the Master of Flemalle),
1400s.  While no arms are on it, there are words on the glazed pitcher.)

Alys Katharine

Elise Fleming
alysk at ix.netcom.com
http://home.netcom.com/~alysk/