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Born in Italy in 1935 and passed away in 2006. He was known for extraordinary detail and realism. In 1975, Mr. Armani accepted an offer from Florence Sculpture d'Arte working exclusively for their studio with complete artistic freedom. For the following 31 years, he created beautiful masterpieces ranging from traditional Capodimonte styling to more modern, contemporary sculptures.
The figurines were made in Italy, named and designated a model number, followed by different letters to describe the finish. Mr. Armani would create the sculpture. The sculpture would then be molded and issued in cold-cast porcelain, a very time-consuming process that allows the most minute details of the original to be reproduced. Figurines bear identifying marks: Factory designation, Copyright mark, Artist's mark or signature, Capodimonte Crown and "N", and Limited Edition figurines are numbered. The "N" mark of Capodimonte derives from the Royal Manufacturer of Capodimonte in Naples, Italy. The figurines are painted with painstaking care using luminous colors by artists from the Florence Studios. Armani figurines, except for the most vintage ones, would be "signed in the mold". In addition, look for stamped "signature". This would represent Mr. Armani's approval of the figurine. Some larger figurines are special issues that would be consecutively numbered. The figurines would range between 7 and 20 inches (or more) in height. Sometimes, the figurines would have customization by the dealers such as chains in gold or silver. On rare occasions, Mr. Armani or Rinaldo, the head of the society, would hand sign the figurines with marker.
The finishes done by the Florence Studios artists can make the same "model" look dramatically different, and because they are hand-painted, no two are exactly alike. The "C" finish is the most expensive because of how time-consuming it is to complete, and uses bright and vibrant colors.
"B" Finish - Patina coloration such as marble;
"C" Finish - Colors that are bright;
"E" Finish - Mosaic and patterned effects;
"F" Finish - Flesh colors or white;
"M" Finish - Metallic coloration such as bronze;
"P" Finish - Pastel colors;
"S" Finish - Used for both the Wildlife series and African-American figurines;
"T" Finish - Terra-Cotta finish to give the piece a more earthy look.
The value of these figurines has substantially increased compared to what they might have fetched a few years ago. Armani figurines were sold almost exclusively through small dealers. Generally, between 3000-5000 of each figurine were produced for the United States. When 50% of the production sold out, the figurine would become "endangered", when 80% of the figurine sold out, it would be categorized as "last call", once 100% were allocated to dealers, they would be "fully subscribed", and once sold out, the figurine would be "retired". The figurines is in excellent condition. Not one mark on it!
