The Ginori company, founded in 1735 in Doccia near Florence, built its reputation on imitations of Italian lustred wares and maiolica of around 1500. Under the Marchese Lorenzo Ginori Lisci (d.1878), director from 1848, the pottery produced designs reflecting more varied and more contemporary tastes but also continued making its successful lustred wares. In 1896 the pottery came under the ownership of Giulio Richard who already owned other factories. Combined, the new company was known as the Società Ceramica Richard-Ginori.

This ewer and an associated plate (V&A 5445-1859) were modelled on earlier Renaissance examples following the revival of interest for such material in the 19th century and a rediscovery of the traditional methods of production. The intertwining, grotesque style of pattern on this ewer and dish was originally used to decorate maiolica during the 16th century in Urbino and Gubbio, Italy. The decoration on the Ginori pieces uses a much darker blue with red ruby lustre than the original examples where the main colouring is gold.

These pieces continued to be produced for at least the next two decades, the model number 10 for the dish and ewer along with the pattern number 32 are shown in the Ginori design album of ca.1875. Model 11 for an almost identical shape ewer is also shown in a trade catalogue, 'Manifattura Ginori a Doccia presso Firence, fondata nel 1735' of 1873. The same shapes were produced until the early-20th century as a ewer and dish model number 10 are illustrated in 'Prodotti Artistici Ginori Doccia, Societa Ceramica Richard-Ginori' Florence, published ca.1905. with a paler decoration in the style of Urbino arabesques.

These and four other pieces of Ginori were purchased by Henry Cole (1808-82) then Director of the South Kensington Museum (V&A) in 1859 directly from the manufacturer. The dishes are V&A 5443, 5444 and 5445-1859, the ewer is 5446- 1859, the other two pieces are plain white water-pots 5448 (& 5449-1859 no longer in the Museum collection). Cole visited Florence in late 1858 and early 1859 to acquire works of art for the collection. He was accompanied by Charles Drury Edward Fortnum (1820-99) a collector and connoisseur who advised Cole on many of the purchases.