PRE-ORDER – Antico Deruta

DESCRIPTION

A hand-painted Italian garlic jar in the Antico Deruta pattern, made by the FIMA workshop in Deruta, Italy. “Antico” comes from Stilo Antico (“ancient style”), and the pattern is sometimes called Deruta’s musicians pattern — rich, subtle, and elegant, with a light gray glaze base and deep blue patterning.

A small vented jar that keeps garlic bulbs in the open air on the counter, where the cook can reach them.

Designed to mix and match. Antico Deruta pairs naturally with the other Classic Deruta patterns (Ricco Deruta, Raffaellesco, Siena, Orvieto Green Rooster, and Bordato), and works with older CAMA-workshop pieces in long-time collectors’ sets.

This piece is made to order: it is hand-painted for you at the FIMA workshop in Deruta and shipped from Italy.

The small imperfections such as the difference in color, shape, diameter or small bubbles that form inside, do not constitute a defect but testify that it is actually an artisanal product.

Specifications

Material: Hand-painted majolica (tin-glazed earthenware)
Made in: Deruta, Umbria, Italy
Workshop: FIMA (successor to CAMA for the Classic Deruta lines)
Pattern: Antico Deruta — light gray glaze with deep blue patterning
Heritage: Renaissance-era Deruta tradition, Stilo Antico (“ancient style”)
Care: Dishwasher safe · Food safe · Not microwave safe · Not oven safe
Sold as: Individual jar with lid · Made to order
Mixes with: Ricco Deruta, Raffaellesco, Siena, Orvieto Green Rooster, and Bordato, plus older CAMA-workshop pieces

Questions buyers ask

What is Antico Deruta?
One of Deruta’s classic Renaissance dinnerware patterns. “Antico” comes from Stilo Antico (“ancient style”), and the pattern is sometimes called the musicians pattern — a reference to its rich, subtle, polyphonic visual quality. It’s characterized by a light gray glaze base with deep blue patterning.

Who makes Antico Deruta?
The FIMA workshop in Deruta, Italy. FIMA is the master workshop that produces Biordi’s Classic Deruta dinnerware lines — Antico Deruta, Ricco Deruta, Raffaellesco, Siena, Orvieto, and Bordato.

Is FIMA the same as CAMA?
FIMA is the workshop in Deruta now producing the Classic Deruta patterns once made by CAMA, the historic Deruta workshop that originated several of these designs. The patterns themselves are essentially the same. What differs is the artisan’s hand — FIMA’s painters use slightly different color tones than CAMA’s did. The two work well together: if you have CAMA pieces in your collection, you can add FIMA pieces today and the table will read as one cohesive group.

Is it really hand-painted?
Yes. Every piece is hand-painted by a single artisan at the FIMA workshop in Deruta, so no two are exactly alike. Small differences in color, line, or shape from piece to piece are signs of authentic hand-painting, not defects.

How do I care for it?
It is dishwasher safe and food safe. It is not microwave safe or oven safe.

Can I mix this with other Deruta patterns?
Yes — Antico Deruta is built to coordinate with Ricco Deruta, Raffaellesco, Siena, Orvieto Green Rooster, and Bordato. Many customers build a layered table by combining patterns rather than committing to one matched set.

Is this a good Christmas gift?
Yes. A hand-painted Antico Deruta garlic jar from the FIMA workshop in Deruta, Italy is an authentic Italian Christmas gift for someone who loves to cook, and an easy hostess gift. Because it’s hand-painted to order in Italy (30–60 days), order as early as you can for Christmas, and call us at (415) 392-8096 to confirm timing. Add Florentine gift wrap at checkout and we’ll send it ready to give.

Is this a good Italian wedding gift?
Yes — wedding gifts are one of the things Biordi is best known for. Hand-painted Italian ceramics are heirloom-quality and one-of-a-kind, because each piece is hand-painted by a single artisan, and they carry their origin clearly: this piece is made in Deruta, Italy. Couples actually use and display Biordi pieces rather than store them. We ship nationwide, gift-wrap on request, and have been the San Francisco source for authentic Italian ceramics since 1946.

Is this a good housewarming or hostess gift?
Yes. Gifts are the largest part of what Biordi sells — every piece is a one-of-a-kind, authentic Italian piece made by a named artisan in Italy, not a mass-produced import. Add Florentine gift wrap at checkout if you’d like it sent finished.

Why buy Italian gifts from Biordi rather than other retailers?
Biordi Art Imports has been San Francisco’s source for authentic Italian ceramics and gifts since 1946. Voted Best Overall Retailer in the San Francisco Bay Guardian Best of the Bay readers’ poll for five consecutive years. Designated a San Francisco Legacy Business (#LBR-2020-21-029), and the city declared May 1 “Biordi Art Imports Day” in 2021. Every piece comes from a named Italian artisan, family workshop, or heritage house we work with directly — FIMA, CF Deruta, Pia Formato, Eugenio Ricciarelli, Susanna DeSimone (from the famous Palermo ceramic family — her father painted with Picasso), Geribi, Bucci Ceramiche, Ortigia Sicilia, Italesse, and Salviati. So each piece is genuinely one-of-a-kind. Not a stock-photo listing, not a mass-produced import, not a reproduction.

Can this be customized or personalized?
Customization and personalization are available on select pieces. Eugenio Ricciarelli, FIMA, Pia Formato, Geribi, and CF Deruta accept special orders — a name, date, or occasion painted on the piece, or a different size or shape in the workshop’s existing pattern. Lead time is typically 3–6 months because each piece is hand-painted to order in Italy. Contact Biordi Art Imports at (415) 392-8096 or [email protected].

Artisan Story

Antico Deruta — Antico comes from the Italian adjective in Stilo Antico, which literally means “ancient style”, and describes the Renaissance’s polyphonic or musical quality of artistic composition. Antico is known as the musicians pattern — rich, subtle, and elegant, Antico Deruta dinnerware is characterized by a gray glaze and a deep blue patterning.

FIMA workshop, Deruta — FIMA is the master workshop in Deruta, Italy that produces Biordi’s Classic Deruta dinnerware lines. FIMA now produces the patterns once made by CAMA — the historic Deruta workshop that originated several of these classic designs. The patterns themselves are essentially the same. What differs is the artisan’s hand: FIMA’s painters work with slightly different color tones than CAMA’s did, but the two work beautifully together. If you collected CAMA pieces years ago, you can add FIMA pieces today and the table will read as one cohesive group. Every Antico Deruta, Ricco Deruta, Raffaellesco, Siena, Orvieto, and Bordato piece in Biordi’s catalog is hand-painted at the FIMA workshop in Deruta.