Castel Durante, a small town near Urbino, had a very extensive manufactory of maiolica; most of its early productions of the beginning of the 15th century are often confounded with those of Urbino, but there is evidence enough to show the beautiful character of the decorations employed there. Piccolpassi, director of a _bottega_ for maiolica, at Castel Durante, _circa_ 1550, wrote a treatise on the art of making and decorating it, whilst under the patronage of Guidobaldo II. The manuscript is in the Art Library of the Victoria and Albert Museum. This interesting work is illustrated with pen-and-ink sketches of all the details of manufacture and patterns of the ware, and the prices at which they were to be obtained; allusions are also made in it to other towns celebrated for the same industry; and the principal forms of the vessels are described by name. [Illustration: FIG. 10.--VASE. _About_ 1560.] [Illustration: FIG. 11.--PLATE. _About_ 1530.] In the year 1635 the name of the _fabrique_ was changed to URBANIA in compliment to Pope Urban VIII.; and in 1722 it was the only one which remained in the Duchy of Urbino, where articles of utility alone were made. A great trade was carried on in pharmacy vases or Vasi da Spezieria, covered with grotesque heads, cornucopiæ, &c., designed and shaded with light blue, touched with yellow, orange, brown and green, the patterns being mostly in a bold style. FAENZA If not the most ancient, Faenza was one of the most celebrated of the manufactories of maiolica in Italy. It was this town that gave to the French the name by which they have to the present day distinguished their enamelled pottery, as Spain had previously supplied the name to Italy. Thus in Italy it was called _maiolica_ from Maiorca, and in France, _faïence_ from Faenza. The earliest dated piece now extant is probably a plate in the Musée de Cluny, dated 1475, made by Nicolaus de Ragnolis. Another specimen, in the Sèvres Museum, is inscribed "Nicolaus Orsini, 1477"; and in the same collection is a plate, signed "Don Giorgio, 1485," probably by Maestro Giorgio. [Illustration: FIG. 12.--PLAQUE. "ANDREA DI BONO, 1491."] [Illustration: FIG. 13.--PLATE. WITH AN EMBLEM OF TWO HEARTS PIERCED WITH ARROWS AND THE MOTTO "EN PIU." _15th Century._] The products of this _fabrique_ retained for a long time a special character by which they are easily identified; at first the outlines of the figures were very simple and formal; the yellow lustre does not appear to have been adopted. [Illustration: FIG. 14.--PLAQUE. JOSEPH SOLD BY HIS BRETHREN. _16th Century._]