Vintage Italian Maiolica Sgraffito Square Dish — Renaissance Style

A tiny piece of Italy with a lot going on.

This vintage Italian maiolica dish is hand-decorated using sgraffito, with the intricate design scratched through the pale surface to reveal the warmer terracotta clay underneath, then finished with painted details in ivory, earthy brown and deep burgundy.

At the center, an ornate floral medallion is surrounded by scrolling acanthus-inspired forms and framed by a graphic cream-and-dark zigzag border.

It is only about 6" square, but visually? She has presence.

Perfect as a catchall for jewelry, keys or tiny treasures, styled on a stack of books, incorporated into a collected tabletop, or displayed upright as a small piece of ceramic art.

Marked on the reverse “Maiolica, Italy, S.P.M./20.” The exact studio behind the S.P.M. mark remains unidentified, so I would rather leave the maker attribution open than invent a pottery.

Circa mid–late 20th century.

DETAILS

• Vintage Italian decorative dish
• Made in Italy
• Circa mid–late 20th century
• Marked: Maiolica, Italy, S.P.M./20
• Sgraffito decoration
• Glazed earthenware / ceramic
• Square form
• Renaissance-inspired acanthus and floral motif
• Ivory, brown, black + burgundy palette
• Maker / studio unidentified
• One available

DIMENSIONS

Approximately 6" W × 6" D

One correction from Chairish: its structured dimensions currently show 6" W × 6" D × 6" H, which clearly doesn't make sense for this shallow tray. I would not put 6" as the height in Shopify.

If you measure the actual height/depth later, we can add it.

CONDITION

Very good vintage condition.

The decoration remains crisp and intact with no chips or losses noted and minor crazing consistent with age.

As with all vintage pieces, subtle irregularities and signs of previous life are part of its character.

DĒSSO NOTE

Proof that useful objects do not have to be boring.

I love this one sitting on a coffee table with matches or jewelry almost as much as I love it propped upright like a miniature piece of art. The graphic border is particularly good.