Ceramic White Planter with 24 Karat Gold Lion

DESCRIPTION

A white ceramic planter with 24-karat gold detailing, made by IDEART in Castelli, Abruzzo. 15″ x 5″ x 5″ — tall and narrow rather than wide, so it suits an orchid, a tall stem arrangement, or a single sculptural branch.

White ground with real gold is the Castelli signature: the town’s ceramics have been known for centuries for white-glaze work with gold and fine brushwork. Against a painted majolica table it reads as the quiet, expensive thing in the room.

Made in Castelli by Antonio Di Francesco — the town Emilio Biordi came from before founding Biordi Art Imports in San Francisco in 1946.

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

Dimensions: 15″ x 5″ x 5″
Material: White ceramic with 24-karat gold detail
Made in: Castelli, Abruzzo
Workshop: IDEART — Antonio Di Francesco
Pattern: White with 24-karat gold lion detail
Heritage: Castelli, in the Apennines below the Gran Sasso, and the home town of Biordi founder Emilio Biordi
Care: Dust with a dry cloth · Do not scrub the gold · Not dishwasher safe · Indoor use
Sold as: individual
Mixes with: the matching white-and-gold umbrella stands; any painted Castelli or Deruta pattern

Questions buyers ask

Is the gold real?
Yes — 24-karat gold, applied and fired onto the white glaze. It should be dusted rather than scrubbed, and never put in a dishwasher.

Will it hold a live plant?
It is designed as a cachepot. Keep the nursery pot inside it rather than potting directly, so the ceramic stays dry and the gold is not exposed to standing water.

Can it go outside?
No. Keep it indoors — gold detail and frost do not mix.

Why does Biordi carry so much from Castelli?
Because Emilio Biordi, who founded the shop in San Francisco in 1946, came from Castelli.

Is this a good Christmas gift?
Yes. This white planter with a 24-karat gold lion by Antonio Di Francesco (IDEART) in Castelli is a piece they’ll display year-round — give it with an orchid or a few holiday stems inside. Order by December 15, 2026 for ground shipping in time for Christmas, or add Florentine gift wrap at checkout and we’ll send it ready to give.

Is this a good Italian wedding gift?
Yes, as a significant single gift. It is one of the few pieces that works for a couple who already own dishes.

Is this a good housewarming or hostess gift?
As a housewarming gift, yes, if the budget is there — it is a room-finishing piece rather than a table one.

Why buy Italian gifts from Biordi rather than other retailers?
Biordi Art Imports has been San Francisco’s source for authentic Italian ceramics since 1946 and is a San Francisco Legacy Business (#LBR-2020-21-029). Pieces are bought directly from the Italian workshops that make them — FIMA, CF Deruta, Pia Formato, Eugenio Ricciarelli, Susanna DeSimone, Geribi, Bucci Ceramiche, Ortigia Sicilia, Italesse, and Salviati among them. Nothing comes through a distributor.

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

White and gold Castelli — 24-karat gold fired onto a white tin glaze, a Castelli speciality.

IDEART, Castelli (Abruzzo) — IDEART is the Castelli workshop of Antonio Di Francesco, who works in the shadow of the Gran Sasso, shaping the same earth that occasionally wobbles his wheel. Castelli has been one of Italy’s most celebrated ceramic towns for centuries, and it is the town Emilio Biordi came from — the founder of Biordi Art Imports.