DeSimone

DeSimone is the name signed on the pottery made in Palermo by the workshop of the ceramicist Giovanni De Simone (1930-1991): hand-painted pottery, often with faces and figures in the spirit of Sicilian folk art.

The history of the workshop is thinly documented. According to the city of Palermo's biographical archive, his first factory was set up for him by his father, Leopoldo, in partnership with the Terrasi brothers, and was called Dester. Ceramiche De Simone, the brand that carries the name today, dates it to the 1960s and describes itself as giving new life to the historic name. We have not found a reliable record of who ran the workshop after his death in 1991, or when it closed.

From our shop

The espresso cups and saucers we found in September 2026 are signed DeSimone with the numbers 64/1 on each base. For the man behind the name, see Giovanni De Simone.