Italian porcelain is porcelain made in Italy, chiefly from the eighteenth century onwards, by a number of factories often founded under royal or aristocratic patronage. Although Italy had long been famous for maiolica, true porcelain production began only after Meissen's success in Germany encouraged rival manufactories across Europe.
The leading early factories were Vezzi in Venice, the Doccia factory near Florence established by Marchese Carlo Ginori, and Capodimonte in Naples, founded by Charles of Bourbon and later succeeded by the Real Fabbrica Ferdinandea. Capodimonte became renowned for finely modelled soft-paste figures, while Doccia produced a wide range of tablewares and sculpture and continued as Richard-Ginori. Other factories operated in Venice and Nove. In the nineteenth and twentieth centuries the Capodimonte name, and the crowned N mark, were widely used by many makers for decorative wares and figures with heavy floral encrustation, most of which have no connection with the original factory. Collectors should therefore treat marks with caution. Early Italian porcelain is rare and typically requires specialist attribution, with value depending on modelling, painting, paste and condition.
