VINTAGE & COLLECTIBLE CERAMICS Ricco Deruta CAMA Butter Dish – Hand-Painted Italian Maiolica

From a private Italian collection
Curated artisan ceramic centerpiece
Handcrafted by Cama in Italy

Rare Italian Maiolica | Collector’s Piece

This Ricco Deruta CAMA butter dish is a refined example of traditional Umbrian maiolica, hand-painted in Deruta, Italy by the historic CAMA workshop. Its elegant rectangular form is framed with a warm ochre border and decorated with balanced cobalt scrollwork, floral rosettes, and Renaissance-inspired motifs—classic elements of the Ricco Deruta tradition.

Designed for both beauty and function, this butter dish elevates everyday rituals while embodying the artistry once central to Italian domestic life. The precise symmetry and painterly brushwork reflect a time when each utilitarian object was treated as a canvas, crafted slowly and intentionally by skilled hands.

Original CAMA pieces are no longer produced, making surviving examples increasingly sought after by collectors of Italian ceramics. Each butter dish that remains is now a historical object—a tangible link to a moment when craftsmanship, community, and cultural continuity guided production rather than mass manufacture.

Why Collectors Value CAMA Butter Dishes

• Discontinued CAMA workshop with no future production

• Hand-painted tin-glazed maiolica using traditional techniques

• Rectangular butter dishes are less common than bowls or plates

• Functional form with strong display appeal

• Growing scarcity supports long-term collectible value

Details

• Origin: Deruta, Umbria, Italy

• Workshop: CAMA (historic, no longer in production)

• Style: Ricco Deruta

• Material: Hand-painted tin-glazed ceramic (maiolica)

• Form: Rectangular butter dish

• Condition: Vintage / collectible

• Use: Butter dish, serving piece, decorative display

Own a piece of Deruta’s legacy—bring home CAMA original today.

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.

The Heritage of CAMA Ceramiche

Deruta, Umbria — Founded 1954 · Closed 2011

In the storied hill town of Deruta, where ceramic tradition has flourished since the Middle Ages, CAMA Ceramiche stood for more than half a century as a guardian of authentic Italian maiolica.

Founded in 1954, CAMA—an acronym for Cooperativa Artigiana Maioliche Artistiche—was established as an artisan cooperative at a time when Italy was rebuilding its cultural and economic identity after the war. Rather than pursuing industrial production, CAMA was built on a collective philosophy: to preserve handcraft, protect artisan livelihoods, and uphold the visual language of classic Deruta ceramics.

From its earliest years, CAMA became known for its commitment to traditional tin-glazed majolica, using time-honored techniques that date back to the Renaissance. Each piece began as carefully prepared clay, shaped by hand or traditional molds, then fired, glazed in luminous white, and meticulously painted freehand with mineral pigments. No stencils. No shortcuts. Only the steady hand of a trained painter and the discipline of centuries-old methods.

A Workshop Defined by Artists, Not Machines

For decades, CAMA was closely associated with the Niccacci family, whose leadership and artistic vision helped define the workshop’s identity. Under their stewardship, CAMA produced tableware and decorative pieces that were both functional and expressive—ceramics meant to live on the table, not behind glass, yet beautiful enough to be collected and cherished.

CAMA’s designs drew deeply from Deruta’s classical vocabulary: scrolling foliage, balanced florals, mythic creatures, and rhythmic patterning rendered in rich blues, greens, ochres, and yellows. The now-recognizable yellow rim, seen across many CAMA forms, became a quiet signature—warm, optimistic, and unmistakably Italian.

While rooted in tradition, CAMA was never static. Its painters brought individuality to every piece, resulting in subtle variations that collectors quickly learned to recognize and value. These differences were not flaws, but proof of authenticity—evidence that each bowl, plate, or cup had passed through human hands.

International Recognition and Cultural Presence

By the late 20th century, CAMA Ceramiche had earned a devoted international following, particularly in the United States. Their work appeared in influential cookbooks, lifestyle publications, and even popular film—cementing CAMA’s reputation as a symbol of Italian conviviality and everyday elegance.

American collectors formed lasting relationships with the workshop, some visiting Deruta repeatedly to meet the artisans and commission pieces. These relationships outlived the company itself, giving rise to informal preservation efforts and collector communities dedicated to documenting CAMA’s legacy.

The End of a Workshop, Not a Tradition

Despite its artistic success, CAMA Ceramiche closed in 2011, after 57 years of production. Like many historic artisan workshops, it faced mounting economic pressures, shifting global markets, and the growing dominance of mass production. Attempts to restructure or continue the cooperative model ultimately proved unsustainable.

Yet CAMA’s closure marked the end of a workshop—not the end of its significance.

Today, original CAMA pieces are no longer produced, making surviving examples increasingly sought after by collectors of Italian ceramics. Each bowl or cup that remains is now a historical object: a tangible link to a moment when craftsmanship, community, and cultural continuity guided production.

Why CAMA Matters Today

In an era defined by speed and replication, CAMA Ceramiche represents something rare:
a complete, intact artisan philosophy—from material to motif, from workshop to table.

Owning a CAMA piece is not simply owning Italian ceramics. It is preserving a chapter of Deruta’s living history, a cooperative model of craftsmanship, and a standard of beauty shaped by patience, skill, and shared values.

CAMA Ceramiche (1954–2011).
Made by hand. Meant to be used. Remembered with reverence. 

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

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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.