SAIC Caltagirone Neo-Primitive Ceramic Animal Vase, Sicily, c.1960s

Apparently, you can put a price on whimsy.

A wonderfully strange and highly sculptural mid-century ceramic vase by SAIC Caltagirone, produced in Caltagirone, Sicily - a town with a centuries-old ceramic tradition.

The substantial hand-worked form is covered in a deeply textured, cratered green glaze, interrupted by raised bands that spiral around the body. Between them, primitive-style animals - horses, deer, birds and fantastical creatures - appear in loose washes of turquoise, ochre, yellow and manganese. There’s something almost archaeological about it: part ancient vessel, part folk art, part 1960s Italian experimentation. The irregular modelling and exuberant decoration are exactly what make it.

Origin: Caltagirone, Sicily, Italy
Era: c.1960s-70s
Maker: SAIC Caltagirone
Materials: Glazed ceramic / earthenware
Style: Italian Modernist / Neo-Primitive / Folk Art
Dimensions: Approx. H 31.8 cm (12.5 inches)
Attribution: Signed SAIC Caltagirone to base
Condition: Very good vintage condition with age-related wear and minor irregularities consistent with its handmade manufacture. No major chips, cracks or structural repairs noted.
Use: Vase / sculptural decorative object