Santa Ana Lisboa Portugal Tiles, set of 3

Set of 3, vintage tiles or azulejos made by the Santa Ana Factory of Lisbon, Portugal. Majolica tiles first came to Portugal from Spain as early as the 15th century and were first made in Portugal around 1560, using faience techniques brought from Italy. After the great earthquake of 1755,  azulejos started to become mass-produced, using a combination of industrial and artisanal techniques to keep up with the pace of rebuilding in Lisbon. Starting in the 19th century, azulejos became more widely used for larger scale decoration: facades of buildings, rail stations, etc. The Santa Ana operation began in 1741 producing undecorated terracotta. with the post-earthquake rebuild of Lisbon, the company started making azulejos, as they became one of the building materials of choice due to the low cost. Santa Ana is famous for producing every item using artisan methods, from preparing clay to painting and glazing, and employing traditional old Portuguese techniques. These 3 tiles are 20th century azulejos, probably designed for use in decorating a kitchen with the food related motifs: figs & wine, radish and sausage & cheese. The tiles measure 5 3/4" square and are 1/4" thick. Each one has some irregularities in the original clay/glaze as shown in photos. Each of these tiles is in good condition with some small chips on the edges (along with irregularities in glaze on the edges. Please see photos of individual tiles for condition details. Use these for a project, add to a collection or use as trivets/coasters by adding a square of felt or cork to the back.