The present lot is one of a small group of pieces made by the Giustiniani factory to imitate antique mosaics. A striking pair of vases made using this technique, unique to the factory, was sold by Thomas Coulbourn & Sons. Another vase of calyx-krater form is in the Museo Artistico Industriale di Napoli, illustrated by Guido Donatone, La Terraglia Napoletana (1782-1860), Naples, 1991, pl. 156. A desk set made from ‘various pieces of pottery mimicking mosaic’ was exhibited at the 1826 Exhibition from Fabbrica di Biagio Giustiniani (ibid., Naples, 1991, colour pl. 20 a).

The Naples based Giustiniani factory was founded by Nicola Giustiniani circa 1760 and its most successful period was from 1820 to 1840, under the direction of Nicola's grandson, Biagio. Although a variety of wares were produced, copies of Antique vases and the use of antique forms and decoration, as exemplified by this lot, were the high point of its production. The firm closed around 1885.