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OUR MISSION
TO PRESERVE, EXPERIENCE AND CELEBRATE THE ITALIAN CULTURE
BIORDI ART IMPORTS
412 Columbus Ave. San Francisco, CA
Clean Environment | Curbside Pick-up
Contact us at (415) 392-8096 or customerservice@biordi.com
Susanna De Simone
Giovanni De Simone, a renowned and innovative artisan from Palermo, Sicily, was a visionary artisan known for the use of intense colors and cubist drawing style similar to Picasso. Early in his life Giovanni worked with Picasso and shared his innovation using bright red in ceramics with Picasso. "Picasso loved that innovation. I express what comes through my imagination, filtering old and new memories, comparing my experiences and my understanding" wrote Giovanni De Simone in 1991.
Today, this art style is continued by his daughter Susanna. Her limited production bears her signature, together with the company's new name "Fabbrica della Ceramica”.
Featured Artisan
Geribi Deruta Piggies
One of the most popular Deruta pottery designs sold at Biordi, is Geribi, the peacock feather ceramic design. The Ribigini family has been producing majolica for many generations. Gerardo owns the workshop. His Father organized a group of artists after the war and built a factory for 200 workers. When Gerardo was 15 he began his apprenticeship, and started the business at age of 20. Now Gerardo, and his daughter, Claudia, handpaints this stunning collection of piggy banks.
SHOP GERIBIFEATURED GIFTS
WEDDINGS
The wedding day is one of the most important events in a persons life. Today, the wedding celebration is back! For 76 years Biordi Art Imports has been the place to find the perfect, unique, most memorable gift for the special couple. It is certain to be a gift to be treasured forever!
It's time to start building memories and give the gift of beautiful Italian functional art that will be cherished for years to come. Shop the top wedding gifts, including Italian hand-painted pottery, platters, serving bowls, appetizer trays, goblets, espresso cups and more.
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Contrade Collection
The Contrade Collection is an explosion of joyousness. Set your table with the 17 Contrade from Siena.
In 1984, Walter Staccioli began producing ceramic pieces incorporating the Contrade patterns of Siena. Today, based upon each Contrada’s individual flag that festoons rider and horse in events surrounding the Palio di Siena, Sonia Staccioli and her sister Giada carry on the traditions. These works of art can only be found exclusively at Biordi and the Staccioli workshop at the Piazza del Campo in Siena.
Classic Deruta Pottery
The Classic Deruta Pottery is a stunning table setting for your meal.
The very essence, the soul, of Italian ceramics lives in La Citta di Deruta. Deruta, the center of Italian Majolica since the 12th century has over 100 ceramic workshops offering some of the best quality majolica in the world. There are six designs that form the foundation of Italian ceramics and capture the elegance of Italy’s traditional tableware.
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Olivewood Charcuterie Board
This charcuterie board, handmade in Puglia, Italy is crafted from olivewood from fallen branches of 5 to 10-year-old trees. Ideal for charcuterie or as a chopping board or a serving board. We commissioned this special charcuterie board that is customized for Biordi Art Imports. The wood is the highest quality olivewood from Italy and the perfect accompaniment for your Italian table. Every piece is hand-made and unique with variations in wood coloration and grain. The boards are finished with a food-safe mix of local beeswax and vegetable oil The natural wood grain provides a stunning background for cheese, tapas, bread, and hors d'oeuvres.
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Italian Ceramic Planters and Floor Vases
Our collection of hand-painted Italian ceramic planters have arrived from Italy!! The beautiful Florentine planters and vases are all handcrafted in Italy.
One piece will transform your home. All are pieces of art.
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Hand-painted Espresso Cups
Biordi Art Imports Handcrafted Espresso Cups are handmade and painted by Italy's finest Italian artisans using traditional methods and techniques, our collection of espresso cups are beautiful interpretations of Italian majolica.
Available in a variety of designs including Susanna DeSimone and classic patterns including Antico Deruta, Raffaellesco, Ricco Deruta, Contrade and more, Biordi offers the finest collection of Italian espresso cups available outside of Italy.
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Frescobaldi Olive Oil
Frescobaldi Laudemo Olive Oil is one of the best in Tuscany. Known for their wines, Frescobaldi produces the superb olive oil on their tuscany properties.
Olive Oil jars and dispensers all hand painted in Italy are an exceptional gift for yourself or someone you love.
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Gifts For the Art Lover
Italian Art is the finest for the true art lover. These d'arte ceramic sculptures are hand crafted by Ivana Dolfi in Montelupo, Italy. These modern art pieces are hand made scuptures and can be used as a planter, vase or simply stunning piece of art.
Each Testa d'Arte (Head of Art) is a unique, one of a kind piece. The modern art piece is a statue and also a planter. The Italian ceramiche detail is all hand made and painted, a unique, one of a kind.
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Introducing Busatti Linens
Introducing the partnership with Busatti. Since 1842 the Busatti family has been weaving the finest linens in the cellars of the Palazzo Morgalanti in Anghiari, Tuscany. Busatti is still a synonym of quality and tradition, but also of innovation because of a constant search of new designs, colors and models.
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Masters of the Majolica
The best of the best!
We are featuring master artisans works of art, the very best collections of the very best ceramic artisans in Italy.
Lucianna Mari, Francesca Niccacci, Susanna DeSimone, Eugenio Riccarelli, Vignoli, ND Dolfi and more. SHOP MASTER ARTISANS
Gifts for the Italiophile
The definition of Italiophile is a person with admiration, appreciation or emulation of Italy, its people, ideals, civilization, and culture. At Biordi, we offer the perfect gift, handmade and painted by Italian artisans using traditional methods and techniques, our collections are beautiful interpretations of Italian majolica and make perfect gifts for friends and loved ones.
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Voted Best Overall Store
Best of the Bay 2021
Welcome to the 46th Bay Guardian Best of the Bay! PHEW! What a couple years, eh? The Bay Area has stood up through it all. While we’ve lost so much, it’s important to still celebrate who we are and how we’ve pulled through together. We’re beating back the monsters every day, and embracing our Best of the Bay beasts! Thus our 2021 theme: Beast Mode. This year’s Best of the Bay is dedicated to the indomitable Bay Area spirit, in all its freaky, oft-foggy glory. We encourage everyone to pour all they can into supporting great local businesses, institutions, organizations, and wonderful people, starting with this edition as a guide.
Best of the Bay 2021Featured New Artisan
DORIANA USAI
Artisan Ceramiche Artistiche Doriana Usai ~ The Ceramics Company is a 5th generation company, which boasts a long family tradition, dating back to the 1840' and one of the most famed artisans in Sardinia. The artistic ceramics of Doriana Usai are the result of a long traditoin of craftsmanship of the Usai family. Her creations of home decor and dinnerware are adorned with pure gold in the third firing.
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New Arrivals
EUGENIO
New designs from Eugenio Riccirelli, one of the most beloved artisans in Deruta have arrived.
Eugenio began working at 13 in a painting factory. He then became an apprentice for the esteemed Franco Mari, eventually running Franco Mari’s studio for many years. Eugenio, known for his Deruta pottery in geometric designs and hues of blue, produces his works in 12 simplified patterns and 65 full designs.
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Featured Artisan
Vignoli
Ivana and Saura Vignoli, sisters, in Faenza, Italy a short drive from the Adriatic Sea, developed a special technique named “Full-fire Reduction”. The technique involves unique glazes and firing styles, to create a spectacular copper sheen. These techniques offer a modern Italian aesthetic. The sea, an important influence to their family’s history is honored through schools of sardines or anchovies gracing their creations.
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Celebrating 75 Years! Not quite as old as the clay, nor as old as this artform--Though an exclamation and footnote of gratitude to all of You.
Our Mission is our Passion.
To keep this artform alive, to keep our artisans painting, and to offer you beautiful, functional art you can use that brings joy to your everyday!
Join us as well celebrate our 75th Year.
Welcome to Biordi Art Imports
San Francisco's finest retailer for Italian pottery and ceramics!
Biordi Art Imports offers the finest in imported Italian pottery from artisans in Deruta, Castelli, Siena, Florence and many of Italy's other historical villages known for majolica. We only sell the best, heirloom quality Italian pottery and proudly bring these handmade, hand-painted, one-of-a-kind ceramics to you!
We have searched throughout Italy and found the best artisans to create this functional art known as Majolica. All the Italian ceramics at Biordi’s are handmade and signed by the artisan who created it. The process for producing this 500-year-old art form begins with a special clay from specific regions in Italy, then the ceramics are fired, dipped in a white glaze, and painted with lead-free mineral paints; and then fired again to expose the vibrant colorations known only to Italian majolica.
Shop our one-of-a-kind collections of Deruta pottery, espresso cups, Della Robbia, holiday ornaments and more online or in-store.
Hours of Operation
Honoring our Artisans
We are thankful for the opportunity, collectively, to support the incredible Italian Artisan Families that create the Biordi
majolica, ensuring this handcrafted art legacy continues.
Our Artisans are family to us.
We work with 20 small workshops in Umbria, Tuscany and Sicily. Each piece of majolica you purchase from Biordi is handcrafted and lovingly painted.