Ernestine

Designer	Ernestine Virden Cannon
Maker	MatteoD’Agostino
Marks	Painted “Ernestine Salerno Italy” to base
Material	Glazed earthenware
Description	Octagonal plate with four small ramekins glazed in Red Selenium gloss glaze with green glaze to footrings.
Condition	Very Good
Number	No number
Production Date	1960s
Width at rim	60mm
Width at Base	35mm
Depth	30mm
Length (with handle)	92mm
Weight	60gm
Volume	60ml
Acquisition	Purchase Waverley Antiques 24th July 2015
Rameking Reference Number	ERN 001-005

This tasting set was made by a small company called “Ceramiche Ernestine” begun by, Matteo D’Agostino, (1905-1968) an architect and tile maker who came from a family of ceramic makers and later his America Designer wife Ernestine Virden Cannon (1904-1969).  She made ceramics as a response to the poverty in Italy caused by the Second-World-War.  Matteo had been producing tiles during the Second-World-War. 

Ernestine travelled to Salerno in the mid 1940s where she met Matteo at her home in Ravello, a town on the Amafi coast.  They operated as a joint partnership from 1946/7 until 1969.  They produced tableware and successfully exported to America through Fisher, Bruce and Co, Market St Philadelphia, importers of china, earthenware and glassware.  Ernestine eventually produced around 100 different designs.

They began making pottery in the style of Vietri Ceramics, from another town on the Amalfi coast.  Shortly after they started, an adventurous, and fortuitous decision in 1950 was to employ German Chemical Engineer Horst Simonis (1923-2002) who developed new pigments, glazes and clays for the company, including this one, “Red Selenium”.    Horst’s influence on the company cannot be overstated. 

They also worked with legendary Architect, Industrial Designer, Furniture Designer, Artist and Publisher; Gio Ponti (1891-1979).  Their output was always low volume and is now collectable for those in the know.  In 1951 she was awarded the Neiman Marcus Fashion Award because her “creative designs” had “brought new life to the ceramics industry of Italy.”

The collaboration of Matteo’s shapes and Ernestine’s designs, coupled with Horsts' technical expertise produced a product the style and finish of which is known as mid-century modern and most tasters produced elsewhere since are of a similar design. The pottery became a centre for research and development of colours and glazes. 

One of their contributions was to remove asbestos from pottery.  Asbestos was mixed with clay as an adhesive and its long fibres allowed for large vessels with thin walls that made them lighter and more heat resistant without compromising durability.  Their tableware was all hand-painted.  One consideration for makers of the day was the proliferation of dishwashers in American kitchens.

Their pottery was popular with Europe’s rich and famous, among them the Belgian Royal family, Jaquiline Kennedy and many actors and artists.  The company ceased production in 1968 due to the death of both Matteo and Ernestine.  Many galleries and museums now have some of their work on display.