Need help identifying Italian stamp on figure

Hi everyone,
I havent been able to find anything about this stamp so I'm hoping someone here will be able to tell me something about this piece. The figurine reminds me of a cherub, but it doesn't have any wings. I guess it's just a bronze little boy. Thanks in advance to anyone who can help!

9 by MTswirls posted Aug 23, 2019 at 2:35 AM

10 by MTswirls posted Aug 23, 2019 at 2:35 AM

8 by MTswirls posted Aug 23, 2019 at 2:35 AM

7 by MTswirls posted Aug 23, 2019 at 2:35 AM

 

Ceramic, not bronze. That "metallic" finish was applied in the manner of glaze or paint.

 

That's a "Capodimonte" style mark - which has been used by countless manufactures both inside and outside of Italy - and have mostly relatively little to do with the original Capodimonte porcelain factory which operated in Naples, Italy in the mid to late 18th century.

 

My guess is anytime from the 1960s to present.

 

I had a piece with a similar mark that Walter Del Pellegrino said came from San Marino. Unfortunately, it was a file that was lost when my old computer was infected by a bad ebay link and I no longer have a photograph.

 

Doesn't it seem odd for various manufacturers with different styles of art and degrees of quality to use the same mark? It seems like it would make it difficult to identify a pieces origin and value with this stamp since it goes back to many places. I'm not too familiar with porcelain so maybe that's just not how it works.

 

Certain marks are assumed to denote quality and so are widely imitated. The hope is that the buyer will see the mark as say "Ah, this is a good piece." From the manufacturer's perspective a quality mark may help their lesser quality item move quicker and at a higher price than it would if it was marked correctly.

It's important to remember that the manufacturer's most important goal is to maximize sales. They don't really care if you can trace the item back to them or not. This doesn't apply to all manufacturer's of course. Some wanted to establish a reputation for consistently producing quality pieces but others couldn't give a rat's behind and just want to goad you into making a purchase today. You can't solely trust a mark to imply quality. Many of the best producers (RS Prussia and Limoges, for example, but really any manufacturer whose work commands higher prices) have had their marks copied. You'll learn to recognize other details which can tell you if an item is what it purports to be. And we're here to help.
Don

 

Thank you for that explanation.