Vintage Portuguese Pottery Crab Plate Palissy Majolica Jose Alvaro Portugal

This is a wonderful Portuguese pottery crab plate, made with a majolica glaze in the Palissy style, and featuring a three dimensional representation of a crab in its natural habitat, surrounded by mussels, seaweed and sand.  The original French Bernard Palissy examples date to the 16th century, but Portuguese potters started reproducing similar pieces during the late 19th century and well into the 20th century.  Among the Portuguese potteries who produced Palissy ware are Mafra, Jose A. Cuhna, Alves, José Francisco de Sousa, Cezar, Herculano Elias, and Augusto Baptista de Carvalho.  This piece is signed “Alvaro José Caldas Da Rainha Portugal”.  People often date these to 1890, but, as José Alvaro inherited his grandfather’s pottery in 1946, that is wrong - 1950s is more likely a proper dating.  The plate is smaller than the 12 1/2” examples that I’ve had in the past - this one measures 8 7/8” in diameter and would appear to be less common.  It is in excellent condition with no noted chipping, cracking or wear.  Please note that there is a rope at the back for hanging the plate on a wall.  This is an attractive piece - wonderful form and decoration, great addition to a majolica or botanical collection or simply as a lovely display piece!