Manises lustreware, 16th century - Spain

Metallic-reflect glaze ceramic plate (lustreware / tin-glazed ware) from Manises (Valencia, Spain), 16th century
Diameter: 20 cm.
Detailed description
Anverso (decorated face):
Circular tin-glazed earthenware plate (opaco white-cream / beige tin glaze) decorated with the characteristic metallic-reflect glaze technique (iridescent gold-copper lustre obtained with copper and silver oxides in a reducing firing) and, probably, cobalt blue in some details.
• Center: Oval-pointed heraldic shield surrounded by a border of stylized vegetal and floral motifs (leaves, stems, dot flowers and architectural bracketing elements or brionia, typical of Manises Gothic-Mudéjar production). The shield bears quarters with heraldic elements (possibly bars, lions, castles or other noble or familial emblems; exact identification would require a more precise heraldic study).
• Edge / lip: Band with an inscription in Gothic characters (Germanic/Gothic style letters) repeating around the perimeter. This is the Marian formula “AVE MARIA” or “AVE MARIA GRATIA PLENA,” characteristic of the well-known 15th-century Manises ceramic series “Ave María.” This series combines vegetal motifs (dot flowers, stems, leaves) with the Marian invocation on the lip.
The decoration is typical of the peak period of Manises workshops (14th-16th centuries), when this gold-glazed earthenware was exported throughout Europe (Italy, France, Flanders, England, etc.) and was highly sought after by nobility and royalty for its metallic brilliance and prestige.
Reverso:
Beige-yellowish / ochre-toned glaze with concentric circles painted in brown-ochre (simple reverse decoration commonly seen on these pieces). It shows ancient repairs with metal clamps (iron or copper clamps driven across the cracks), a traditional restoration method used from medieval times through the 19th-20th centuries. There are several clamps visible on the edge and the base.
Condition
• Cracks and ancient breaks (at least one main diagonal crossing the shield and the edge), consolidated with metal clamps.
• Wear of the metallic reflection in some areas, stains, dirt from use, and small losses of glaze on the edge.
• Overall appearance of a historical piece with use and traditional restorations. The iridescent reflection still preserves areas of iridescent shine. Manises metallic-reflection ceramics are among the most prestigious productions of Hispano-Muslim / Mudéjar European pottery. The technique (of Oriental origin, perfected in al-Andalus and consolidated in Valencia from the 14th century) is based on a white tin glaze on which a metallic pigment (copper + silver + sulfur + vinegar) is applied, which, after a second firing in a reducing atmosphere, yields the characteristic golden or coppery shine.
Pieces with heraldic shields and those of the “Ave María” series are especially valued by collectors and museums, as they reflect both Gothic Christian taste and Islamic technical tradition. Similar pieces are preserved in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Hispanic Society of America, Victoria & Albert Museum, Museo Nacional de Cerámica González Martí (Valencia) and other European collections.
Material: tin-glazed earthenware / maiolica of reddish or beige paste, tin glaze, decoration in metallic-reflect glaze