San Mamés de Busturia porcelain factory

(Basque Country 1842-1862)

Fruit bowl

ca. 1850-1860

Fine earthenware with cobalt blue pattern

12 cm  base; 22 cm  rim

Inv. no. Inv. no. V00033

BBVA Collection Spain


The Busturia factory specialised in the manufacture of crockery and items for personal hygiene and grooming. Its models are similar to those produced in other similar factories in the Iberian Peninsula like, for instance, in Valdemorillo. However, in the final stages of its production its models were closer to the English style popular among the better-off classes.

A large number of crockery pieces have survived to this day, usually with black patterns and decorated with exotic, picturesque motifs including buildings and gardens with trees and groups of characters.

Examples of pieces with floral patterns in cobalt blue, somewhat reminiscent of the decoration used at the La Amistad factory in Cartagena, and of the models from the Pickman factory in Seville.

Bell-sized fruit bowl, with moulded base and a flat horizontal lip.