João Maria Ferreira began his collection of ceramics from Caldas in the 1960s. From 1990 until his recent death (2022), this collection underwent a remarkable increase, reaching about 2400 pieces. The fate of the collection, which its owner installed in his own building in Caldas da Rainha, is currently unknown.
It was considered appropriate to carry out a survey of the main structural characteristics of the collection, with a view to the publication of a study that identifies its contributions to the knowledge of the history of ceramics of Caldas da Rainha.
This collection initially constituted according to an antiquarian pattern, has benefited, since the 1980s, from a growing museological concern. Its author endeavoured to gather a very significant set of specimens of all the artistic and decorative production from Caldas da Rainha from the 19th and 20th centuries. It was also from this date onwards that some important collections of ceramics from Caldas have been disposed of, with João Maria Ferreira having acquired a good part of the respective collections.

This study does not overlap with a museum inventory, which is amply justified. In the event that the collection is acquired by a public entity, this preliminary study will contribute to its musealization.

João Martins Pereira (photography), Francisca Venâncio and Eneida Tavares (identification of the main clusters of pieces), Miguel Santos, Marta Galvão Lucas and António Cardoso (consultants) collaborated on the project.