History of Ginori factories in Italy

THE GINORI FACTORY OF DOCCIA.

SITUATED in the heart of Tuscany, the birthplace and cradle of many celebrated artists, lies the town of Sesto, eight kilometers distant from Florence. The place largely owes its renown to the factory of "Doccia," founded in the year 1735 by the Marquis Carlo Ginori. Member of a patrician family, and a man of great ability, the Marquis Ginori realizing that the pretensions of sterile opulence inspired but scant respect, concluded to apply his energies to the pursuit of commerce and industry. The Marquis deciding to build and operate a pottery, it became necessary to acquaint himself with the art.

At this time the principal potteries were in Meissen and Vienna, and at both of these places the secret of the art of potting was well guarded. Finding it quite impossible to get the necessary craftsmen or information from these cities, he concluded to fit out at his own expense an expedition, the object of which was to make researches in the West Indies in the hope of finding suitable clays, &c., to assist him in carrying on his object. Although he had the greatest difficulty in surmounting innumerable obstacles, his undivided energy and perseverance brought him step by step nearer to the coveted goal. In an incredibly short space of time he succeeded, therefore, in forming a colony, and in gathering about him craftsmen of talent. As the result of this perseverance, and as a reward for his efforts, the very first productions possessed unusual artistic merit, and as new wares were modeled and executed the reputation of the factory was soon well established. Connoisseurs and collectors of art to-day probably value the "Old Ginori" among their most prized possessions.

Depending entirely upon its own resources, and unlike the Meissen and Serves factories, which latter were supported by their governments, the "Doccia" factory flourished and extended its sphere of usefulness. In 1842 the Marquis Lorenzo Ginori having acquired all of the moulds of the famous royal factory of "Capo di Monte," at Naples, together with all the rights of reproduction, the product of that factory was brought to such a degree of perfection that it won for him admiration and praise.

In 1896, the "Doccia" factory was combined with the Ceramica Richard of Milan, under the name of Societa Ceramica Richard-Ginori, with a paid-in-capital of eight million lires, and having factories at Milan, Pisa, Mondovi, Vado Ligure, and with retain stores in Florence, Milan, Rome, Naples, Turin, Bologne and Genoa. The product is sold throughout the civilized world, and enjoys the very highest reputation.

By way of illustrating the growth of the china factory at Doccia it may be said that in 1812, one hundred and twenty workmen comprised the entire complement. In 1871 this number increased to six hundred, and at the present time sixteen hundred men are employed, of which two hundred and fifty are painters. The factory covers a space of 2,500,000 square feet, upon which are built immense workshops, twenty-five kilns for the firing of porcelain, six kilns for artistic majolica, and two immense circular decorating kilns. It might be added that this is the largest porcelain factory in the world to-day.

H. R. H. Ismayl Pacha, Khedive of Egypt, being acquainted with the high standard of the art products of the "Doccia" factory, commissioned them in 1873 to make a dinner service of porcelain. The Khedive desiring the finest and most elegant Egyptian decorations upon this ware, it became necessary to send three painters to Egypt for an extended period in order to acquire an intimate knowledge of the certain Egyptian art best adapted for the purpose of china decoration. The entire service, which consisted of 4,800 pieces of extremely odd shapes and intricate design, took two years of uninterrupted work to complete. In March, 1876, the director of the works, Comm. Palo Lorenzi, himself presented the service to the Khedive. Its cost was 210,000 francs.

The services used in the Royal House of Italy, as well as those of H. H. the Pope and the Cardinals, are all made in the "Ginori" factory, "Doccia."

The difficulties which usually present themselves in the making of pottery have been entirely overcome at Doccia, and the art of making large pieces has been so thoroughly mastered that many of the pieces turned out are larger than those from the Sevres factory.