Contrade Dinnerware From Siena: Dolphin

Hand-painted majolica from the Staccioli workshop in Siena, carrying the crest of Onda — the Dolphin contrada. Available as a charger, dinner plate, pasta/soup bowl, salad plate, or dessert plate.

Onda runs south from the Piazza del Campo. Its residents were traditionally carpenters, its colors are white and sky blue, and the contrada describes itself as "the color of Heaven, the force of the sea." The dolphin has represented the Rione dell'Onda in the Palio for centuries.

Contrade dinnerware is made in all 17 district designs, with eight pieces available in each. Sienese families set the table in their own contrada; everyone else picks the animal they like, or the district a relative came from. Mix freely — a table of different contrade is how the Palio itself looks.

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.

Dimensions: Charger 13" · Dinner plate 11.5" · Pasta/soup bowl 10" · Salad plate 9" · Dessert plate 7.5"
Material: Hand-painted Italian majolica
Made in: Siena, Tuscany
Workshop: Staccioli
Pattern: Onda (Dolphin) — white and sky blue, dolphin crest
Heritage: The 17 contrade of Siena and the Palio, run in the Piazza del Campo since 1656
Care: Dishwasher safe · Food safe · Not microwave or oven safe
Sold as: individual pieces, by size
Mixes with: all 16 other Contrade designs; sits well with plain white and with Siena and Orvieto Deruta patterns

What is a contrada?
One of the 17 districts of Siena. Each has its own animal or symbol, colors, allies and rivals, and each runs a horse in the Palio in the Piazza del Campo — a race held twice a year since 1656.

Can I get a different contrada?
Yes. All 17 designs are produced, in eight pieces each. Call Biordi at (415) 392-8096 and we will order the district you want.

Can I mix contrade at one table?
Yes, and many people do — one design per person is a common way to set it. The shapes and border treatment are identical across all 17, so the table reads as a set.

Is this a good Italian wedding gift?
Yes, and an unusually personal one if either family has roots in Siena. A charger or a set of dinner plates in the family's contrada is a gift that gets explained at every dinner party afterward.

Is this a good housewarming or hostess gift?
Yes. A single charger or dessert plate works on its own as a decorative piece, and it needs no matching to what the host already owns.

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). Contrade dinnerware is sold in only two places in the world: Biordi, and the Staccioli workshop on the Piazza del Campo in Siena. Pieces come directly from the workshops — FIMA, CF Deruta, Pia Formato, Eugenio Ricciarelli, Susanna DeSimone, Geribi, Bucci Ceramiche, Ortigia Sicilia, Italesse, and Salviati among them — never through a distributor.

Can this be customized or personalized?
Contrade pieces are produced to the district's fixed heraldry and are not 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 customerservice@biordi.com.

Onda — the Dolphin — Onda runs south from the Piazza del Campo and was traditionally a district of carpenters. Its symbol is a dolphin, its colors white and sky blue, and its own description of itself is "the color of Heaven, the force of the sea."

Staccioli, Siena (Tuscany) — During the Renaissance, Italian cities were divided into districts called contrade to supply troops. The most celebrated are those of Siena, where 17 contrade, each with its own animal or symbol, still compete in the Piazza del Campo in the Palio di Siena, a race dating to 1656. In 1986 Walter Staccioli began producing ceramics carrying the Contrade designs. Today his daughters Sonia and Jada carry the tradition forward. These pieces are found in only two places: Biordi Art Imports, and the Staccioli workshop at the Piazza del Campo in Siena.

Italian ceramics are heirloom quality products, and can last lifetime with proper care. We have some suggestions that will preserve your majolica for years to come.

Majolica is dishwasher safe, but many people choose to hand wash their pieces as a precaution. Because majolica is a porous material, some pieces are not meant to hold liquid for a long period of time. Check for warning labels before ordering a product, as the pieces that are most notorious for "sweating" are appropriately labeled.

Majolica is sensitive to extreme temperatures, specifically boiling or freezing liquids. Pouring water with a rolling boil directly into a teapot, for example, may lead to breakage. To avoid this, temper the object. The industry standard is 620 degrees Celsius (1,148 degrees Fahrenheit). Quench the glass to cool it.

Crazing is common in well used majolica. The tiny cracks in the glaze do not affect the functionality of your majolica.

Majolica hand-crafted products should not be microwaved, as it may crack and/or break the ceramics.

UPS Ground

Flat shipping charge of $10 for each shipment of merchandise under $100.00. For orders of $100.00 or more, shipping is 10% of the order total.

UPS Next Day Air

Flat shipping charge of $63 for each shipment of merchandise under $70.00. For orders of $70.00 or more, shipping is 90% of the order total.

UPS 2-Day Priority (Rush Shipping)

Flat shipping charge of $42 for each shipment of merchandise under $70.00. For orders of $70.00 or more, shipping is 60% of the order total. Note: This option is required for shipping to Alaska and Hawaii.

USPS 3-Day Priority

Flat shipping charge of $21 for each shipment of merchandise under $70.00. For orders of $70.00 or more, shipping is 30% of the order total.

International Shipments

Please contact us at customerservice@biordi.com or call us at (415) 392-8096 for quotes to ship internationally.

You will be charged a rate based on your delivery area, value and shipping preference. For items shipped via UPS, see below for information pricing information. Once the package is shipped, you will receive an email with tracking information to track your package.