PRE-ORDER – Siena

DESCRIPTION

A hand-painted Italian Full Design salad plate in the Siena pattern, made by the FIMA workshop in Deruta, Italy. Siena is a strikingly elegant Deruta pattern in black and dark red, built around the figure of a sitting deer reproduced from a 13th-century mosaic marble inlay on the floor of the Siena Cathedral.

A salad plate sized for salads, appetizers, or dessert — or as an accent under a soup bowl.

Designed to mix and match. Siena pairs naturally with the other Classic Deruta patterns (Antico Deruta, Ricco Deruta, Raffaellesco, 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

Dimensions: 8″ diameter
Material: Hand-painted majolica (tin-glazed earthenware)
Made in: Deruta, Umbria, Italy
Workshop: FIMA (successor to CAMA for the Classic Deruta lines)
Pattern: Siena — black and dark red, with a sitting deer
Heritage: 13th-century Siena Cathedral marble inlay
Care: Dishwasher safe · Food safe · Not microwave safe · Not oven safe
Sold as: Individual salad plate · Made to order
Mixes with: Antico Deruta, Ricco Deruta, Raffaellesco, Orvieto Green Rooster, and Bordato, plus older CAMA-workshop pieces

Questions buyers ask

What is Siena?
A classic Deruta dinnerware design in black and dark red, built around the figure of a sitting deer. The pattern is a reproduction of a 13th-century mosaic marble inlay found on the floor of the Siena Cathedral. The deer is believed to represent the emblem of a prestigious family.

Who makes Siena?
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 — Siena is built to coordinate with Antico Deruta, Ricco Deruta, Raffaellesco, 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 Siena Full Design salad plate from the FIMA workshop in Deruta, Italy is an authentic Italian Christmas gift that comes out for the holiday table every year. 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

Siena — This black-and-dark-red majolica pattern features the figure of a sitting deer. The classic and elegant design is a reproduction of a 13th-century mosaic marble inlay found on the floor of the Siena Cathedral, one of Italy’s most celebrated marble pavements. The deer is believed to represent the emblem of a prestigious family, carrying that medieval heraldic meaning into the modern table.

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.