Marks of Nove.
Capo di Monte—Soft Paste.—This beautiful porcelain was made first at Naples in 1736, under the direct patronage of the king, Charles IV., afterward Charles III. of Spain. The king was an enthusiast, and sometimes worked in the factory himself, and under this inspiration it is not surprising that excellent work was done. But, besides this, very common services and figures were made later, many of which bear the mark of the fleur-de-lis, so that all Capo di Monte is not equally good or equally valuable. And the same may be said of the productions of any man or any manufactory.
A letter written to Lord Chatham in 1760 says of this King Charles: “He is particularly fond of the china-manufacture at Capo di Monte. During a fair held annually in the square before his palace at Naples, there is a shop solely for the sale of a part of this china, and a note was daily brought to the king of what was sold, together with the names of those who bought; and it is said he looked often favorably upon the persons who made any purchases.”