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OUR MISSION
TO PRESERVE, EXPERIENCE AND CELEBRATE THE ITALIAN CULTURE
Visiti Us | Biordi Art Imports
412 Columbus Ave. San Francisco, CA
Contact us at (415) 392-8096 or customerservice@biordi.com
Ortigia Sicilia
This luxurious range of scented products are formulated using natural products indigenous to Sicily and inspired by the aesthetics, colours and scents of Italy’s most historic and tropical region.
We are excited to introduce the best selling products including candles, hand lotions and hand soap. The highly decorative packaging is designed by owner, Sue Townsend and draws on exotic Sicilian images and colours, definitely a perfect gift.
The Ortigia Sicilia Collection is featured in the HBO Hit series "The White Lotus" and available at the actual San Domenico Palace in Taormina, as well as other leading hotels and villas in Sicily.
SHOP ORTIGIA SICILIA
Susanna De Simone
The New Collection from Susanna De Simone has arrived. We commissioned Susanna to create ceramics from the archives. Each piece is a unique, work-of-art.
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
IVA BOCCALI
White Sensibilities
This terracotta collection is the newest design in the Biordi Collezione.
This textured ceramic pottery is called Sensibilities. The collection is meant to highlight the value of fragility, setting the pieces of one's life into place with art. Our cracks are a treasure and not a shame. They are the symbol of our path, we must be proud of our wrinkles, falls and scars. "I learned to make my scars precious by enhancing the cracks. My sculptures are like those people who charm you, not because they show classic beauty, but because they are not afraid to show their scars" Iva Boccalli. Iva is the daughter of master artisan Francesca Niccacci of Deruta. Iva creates modern, contemporary pieces while her mother Francesca is know for her Renaissance creations.
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Vignoli for Biordi Art Imports
Biordi Art Imports is featured in the March 2023 edition of British Vogue.
There's no place like Vogue. Our featured artisan is Vignoli's wave centerpiece.
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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Italian Ceramic Heads
The Moorish Heads made famous by the HBO hit series "The White Lotus" are back-in-stock!
We have Moorish heads starting at $80 and are available in many sizes and colors, shop now, as they are selling out fast! Handmade and painted by Italian artisans, Biordi's offers the finest collection of authentic Moorish heads in the US.
The Moorish heads featured in "White Lotus" is a legend that goes back in the XI century, during the Moors domination in Sicily and as in most legends, is once again Cupid’s fault (or credit).
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DELLA ROBBIA
Prepare for Easter with Religious treasures from Biordi. Biordi Art Imports offers the largest selection of religious hand-crafted artwork in America.
The Della Robbia is the most famous, created by Luca Della Robbia, a 15th century Italian sculptor from Florence, who was noted for his terra cotta roundels. He developed a pottery glaze that made his creations more durable in the outdoors and thus suitable for exterior of buildings.
Winter Sale | Up to 50% off
Enjoy 25% - 50% hundred's of ceramics and linens. Best selling artisans, DeSimone, Vignoli, Eugenio, Dolce & Gabbana, Geribi and more!
All Holiday products are 50% off. Ornaments, Holiday Trees, Panettone.
Shop President's Day Sale
Customized Family Masterpiece Centerpiece
Ivana Antonini can create your own personal family masterpiece centerpiece. This d'arte ceramic centerpiece is handcrafted by Ivana Dolfi in Montelupo, Italy. Every family member and pet can be included in this spectacular conversational piece. Each centerpiece is a unique, a one of a kind work of art.
Please contact us at Biordi Art Imports with any questions regarding this spectacular gift.
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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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Ceramiche d'Arte Funny People
Best-selling one-of-a-kind Funny People in stock now! Every vase is a unique work of art!
Created by Ivana Antonini, perhaps the most creative ceramist in all of Italy. The new collection features d'arte ceramic vases all created individually and guaranteed to make you smile. .
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Hand-painted Mugs
Biordi Art Imports Handcrafted Mugs are handmade and painted by Italy's finest Italian artisans using traditional methods and techniques, our collection of mugs are beautiful interpretations of Italian majolica.
Available in a variety of designs including these iconic Susanna DeSimone mugs. Biordi offers the finest collection of Italian mugs available outside of Italy.
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Alessi
Introducing Alessi, the leader in innovative Italian Design for over 100 years.
“A true design work must move people, convey emotions, bring back memories, surprise, and go against common thinking.” Alberto Alessi
.
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Olive Oil and Olive Oil Accessories
Italian Olive Oil is the symbol of Italian Food, and the significance in Italian Cuisine cannot be understated. At Biordi, we offer award winning Olive Oils. The best of the best Laudemio Frescobaldi and Riva Cucina Rosemary Infused EVOO.
The vessels to hold the oil are works of art. Our oil & vinegar bottles and accessories will brightly accent a kitchen or dinner table. Start a collection for yourself, or share it with family and friends. SHOP OLIVE OIL & BOTTLES
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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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.
SHOP GIFTS FOR THE ITALIOPHILE
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.
Voted Best Overall Store
Best of the Bay 2022
What is Best of the Bay? Beyond thousands and thousands of voters expressing their love for the local people, places, and things that make this the Best Place on Earth, the annual Bay Guardian Best of the Bay (our 47th!) takes a temperature of the times. So many of you voted for brilliantly San Francisco and Bay Area things, showing how much you care, and how much local businesses, arts organizations, music-makers, cocktail shakers, and everything else inside the Golden Gate matters to who we are and how we live. We have so many new and classic winners.
Best of the Bay 2022Cyber Weekend 25% Off
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.
Use Promo code Blackfriday2022 at checkout. Offer ends Cyber Monday.
SHOP GERIBI PIGGIESNew 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.
SHOP EUGENIO
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.
Honoring our Artisans
This Holiday Season, we will to contribute 5% of all Biordi sales from Thanksgiving Day through "Giving Tuesday" November 29th to our artisans. This our 3rd year of sharing the joy with our artisans. The gift is from you, so Thank you!
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.
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.
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