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Italian Pottery
   Medieval Maiolica
  (13th-14th century)
   Transitional Maiolica
  (early 15h century)
   Zaffera in relievo
  (mid 15th century)
   Late Severe Style
(late 15th century)
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Italian 15th century pottery (Zaffera in relievo)

A cobalt blue-black called zaffera, also called Florentine blue because of it’s origin, was added to the Italian color palate in the mid 15th century. Florentine blue was used in conjunction with manganese dioxide and used primarily for motifs featuring or surrounded by oak leafs. Common subjects for jugs and jars of this type were birds, heraldic animals, humans, and sometimes coats of arms. This type of decoration is most commonly found on pharmacy jars and is also on jugs.

Bird Jugs, tall jug $60.00, magpie jug $55.00 Florence, late 15^thcentury Birds of all varieties were common motifs on jars and jugs. Source: Storia della maiolica di Firenze e del contado secoli XIV e XV, 2 vols. Galeazzo Cora, 1973.
	Fish jug $55.00 Florence, later 15^th century This oak-leaf jug has a fish design that I took from a pharmacy jar. Source: : Storia della maiolica di Firenze e del contado secoli XIV e XV, 2 vols. Galeazzo Cora, 1973.
Small scroll-leaf jug $45.00 Florence, late 15^th century Jug with a simple scroll oak-leaf design. Source: Storia della maiolica di Firenze e del contado secoli XIV e XV, 2 vols. Galeazzo Cora, 1973, Florence.
	Human jug $55.00 Florence, later 15^th century This jug has a human bust surrounded by oak-leaf decoration. Human figures were common on both jugs and jars. The manganese bands moved a little during firing, which occurs fairly commonly in the historical maiolica as well. Source: Storia della maiolica di Firenze e del contado secoli XIV e XV, 2 vols. Galeazzo Cora, 1973.
Pharmacy Jar $45.00 Florence, late 15^th century This type of abstract decoration is common on both jugs and jar from this time period. Source: Storia della maiolica di Firenze e del contado secoli XIV e XV, 2 vols. Galeazzo Cora, 1973, Florence
	Fleur de lis jug $65.00 Florence, late 15^th century This jug was painted with a motif inspired by the pharmacy jar. The fleur de lis ia a symbol of Florence where the zaffera in relievo style of decoration originated and most Florentine-blue pieces also contain oak-leaves. Source: Storia della maiolica di Firenze e del contado secoli XIV e XV, 2 vols. Galeazzo Cora, 1973, Florence
IHS jug $55.00 late 15^th century This jug was inspired similar ones depicted in two paintings by Hans Memling, Madonna and Child (c.1480-90) and Jug of Flowers (c. 1485-90). On the front is the Greek monogram,YHS or IHS, stands for Jesus. The mongram became more popular after the twelfth century when St. Bernard insisted much on devotion to the “Holy name of Jesus”. This type of religious motif was very common and heavily exported. It was believed that the monogram brought a blessing to the feast table.
	Dog Jug $55.00 Florence, late 15^th century This jug was painted with a dog inspired by the pharmacy jar (museum jar). Source: Italian maiolica and incised slipware in the Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge. Julia E. Poole; 1995, University of Cambridge.