This pair of unrecorded Italian Maiolica Albarellos from a set of pharmacy jars by Andrea di Marco di Iacopo de le Scine were made for the Hospital of Santa Maria Della Misericordia, Perugia in 1565. The labels on each jar: EL.D.’ GENZNA and UNG.D’.B’SILICO probably refer to an elixir of gentian, and an ointment made from basil. The emblem depicted on the albarellos is still to be found on the buildings which were formally the Hospital of Santa Maria della Misericordia in Perugia. The surviving hospital account books note in 1565 payment for a set of pharmacy vases from the Perugian potter Andrea di Marco di Iacopo delle Scine. These albarellos belong to this commissioned set. Eight others are recorded. Four spouted jars - one in the Castello Sforzesco, Milan, dated 1565, one in the collection of the Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio in Perugia, two in private collections, one in Ostra, one in Assisi (Giulio Busti and Franco Cocchi in La Via Della Ceramica Tra Umbria e Marche: Maioliche Rinascimentali da Collezioni Private, 2010, ed. Ettore A. Sannipoli, cat1.23, p104.). Four albarellos similar to these exist, two in the Bagatti Valsecchi Museum Milan, and two, both dated 1565, formerly in the Della Gherardesca Collection (Finarte, Milan, 21-22 Nov, 1963, lot 65).
Lot 5 in our 5th February auction, this pair of unrecorded Italian Maiolica Albarellos sold for £5,250 including premium.
We are grateful to Celia Curnow for writing the entries in our online & printed catalogue & to Dr Elisa Sani for confirming her attributions.