The wares were made by covering the crude baked clay with a slip or _engobe_ of white earth, the “_terra di San Giovanni_” from Siena, or with that of Verona, and glazing it with “_marzacotto_,” a mixture of oxide of lead, sand and potash. The colours, used were yellow, green, manganese black, and cobalt blue (from the “_zaffara_” of the Levant). During the government of the Sforza the manufacture greatly developed and was protected, for on 1st April 1486 a decree was made prohibiting the introduction of earthenwares for sale from other parts, except the jars for oil and water. This was confirmed in 1508. In 1510 a document enumerates “_Maiolica_” as one of the trades of Pesaro, naming also “_figoli_,” “_vasai_,” and “_boccalari_;” and we must bear in mind that there is good reason for believing that at that period “Maiolica” was a name technically understood as applying only to the lustred wares. Passeri states that about 1450 the “_invetriatura_” or glazing had already begun to perfect itself under the Sforza, when those early pieces were produced decorated with “arabesque” borders encircling coats of arms, portraits, and ideal heads outlined with manganese and coloured with the “_madreperla_” lustre, leaving the flesh white. He ascribes the improvement in the manufacture by the use of the stanniferous glaze to the discovery of the Della Robbia, and adds that, although the art of making it was known [Illustration] earlier at Florence, the fine ware was only introduced at Pesaro about 1500: near which period the beautiful portrait dish which we engrave (no. 4078 at Kensington) was probably made. Here he again says that the lustred ware derived its name from the pottery of Maiolica, and that the earlier and coarser varieties were known as “_Mezza-maiolica_.” Guid’ Ubaldo II. greatly encouraged the art, and in 1552 granted to Bernardin Gagliardino, Girolamo Lanfranchi, Ranaldo and others an edict prohibiting the importation of other wares for sale, thus confirming the former acts, which would appear to have fallen into neglect: and in the year 1562, on the 1st of June, he granted another, confirming to Giacomo Lanfranco a protection of his art or patent for applying real gold to his wares. Passeri then (after some further historical details) describes examples of the glazed and enamelled pottery of Pesaro which he had seen, and the earliest he refers to are floorings of tiles existing in his time, upon one of which, brought to him by a workman, was inscribed +----------------+ | adi 4 de Genar | | o. in Pesaro. | +----------------+ and on the other +-------+ | 1502. | +-------+ A considerable period elapses between this and the next dated example, a plate, with the subject of Horatius Codes, inscribed,-- _Orazio solo contro Toscana tutta._ _Fatto in Pesaro. 1541._ On another (a companion of a plate preserved in the Louvre), _l Pianetto di Marte_ _fatto in Pesaro 1542_ _in bottega da Mastro Gironimo Vasaro. I.P._