Italian Pottery

We have bought pottery twice in Italy. Once in San Gimignano, and once in Montepulciano. Both were beautiful, but pricey. We love pottery, so the cost was worth it. Look in Ricks Italy book, I think he mentions a couple of towns that have pottery. Also, ask the locals, they will know. Enjoy, Caio, Jeff

Katie,

We didn't buy in Orvieto - but I did get some ceramics in Amalfi. I thought the prices to be good for the quality. Be prepared to carry some weight with you if you get large pieces like a platter or pasta dish! Or have it shipped home for you. We got a "lantern" and several hand painted tiles. I schlepped it around the rest of the trip - but I am really happy to have it here at home! The lantern is a unique conversation piece!

Safe Travels!

I read in R. Steves Italy guidebook that Deruta in Umbria (not far from the Tuscany eastern border is known for ceramics. I plan to visit Deruta for that reason next summer. I have purchased ceramics on the Amalfi Coast too, in a town called Vietri sul Mar; and also in Anacapri (on Capri). We did not find it terribly expensive. We had an Italian ceramics storefront in our nearby town center (in NJ) and it was much more expensive to buy it here in the states in an upscale shop. Plus, it's way more fun to buy it there and as a souvenir of your trip. I brought back 29lbs of spanish tile in a suitcase last summer from our trip to Spain. It's hanging in my yard by the pool - I look at it every day now and admire it and think about Spain!

We thought the shops in Orvieto were pricier for the same goods as shops in other towns. We ended up buying some pottery in Ravello and some in Siena. The price will vary depending on size and pattern.

We priced Italian pottery for the past two years in northern Italy. Going again for 6 weeks this summer. We found that the prices for the same pottery was cheaper at a local Italian store here in a suburb of Washington - and, no shipping! They buy wholesale direct, so with the shipping the prices come way down, even with their markup. And, no breakage if you decide to carry it (we broke some small glassware returning from Malta last year). First, find a local high quality Italian store and price the goods before you go!

I've purchased 2x in Orvieto, once in Ravello, once in Deruta, once in Assisi. It's NOT cheap for good products.

Each time I've bought, I've hand carried my purchase home. I never ship, and I never pack it in my carry on, or check it in luggage. (I highly recommend that you bring a special canvas or nylon bag just to carry your purchase home)

In Assisi I bought a large serving bowl and 4 smaller individual bowls...all made it home just fine. In Ravello I bought 2 canisters. In Orvieto I bought an olive oil jar on one trip and a cookie jar and a bowl on the next trip.

The serving bowl and 4 smaller bowls in Assisi were @$!50. That was in 2007. The canisters were @$70 and $90 each, in 08. The cookie jar was $125 in 2009.

I can tell you it seems less expensive to purchase in Italy than on-line in the US. I get email from a ceramic importer and am always shocked at the prices.

In Orvieto there is ONE fantastic shop. (sorry, I can't remember the name, but you will know it when you walk in- you can see the difference of quality and choices) the artist is actually at the store...and they have really original pieces. If you see a ton of the same stuff, walk away, it's not the quality you want (unless you are just shopping price) In Deruta - if you go to the actual town (on the top of the hill) the prices will be higher, but the quality better. If you shop the factory stores down the hill, you will find products mass produced for Pier 1 !

All that bring said, you will know what you want when you see it! You are looking for the pattern/colors that appeal to you and to your new kitchen. I LOVE the pieces I have bought during my trips and I use them all every day! Can't wait for our next trip so I can add more pieces!

A couple of years ago we were on a RS Village Italy tour and made a stop in Deruta. We were taken to a shop/factory and given a demonstration to see all of the steps of how the pottery is made and painted. the young man who runs the shop for his family grew up in the shop, that his grandfather started. An older man who does the painting/decorating on some of the very detailed pieces said he remembers him being a very young boy in the shop.
It was very interesting and informative. We were shown how the colors are used for shading and how precise the lines are. Even though the RS tours are not shopping trips we were given time if we wanted to purchase something. I purchased a salt & pepper and an apothecary jar for my pharmacist daughter.
The shop shipped them home for me, they arrived 2 weeks after I got home, in perfect shape. I can't remember the price, but they were very affordable for a great memory. They had some beautiful platters, bowls, everything. The name on the bottom of my salt/pepper is Gialletii Giulio.
As we went to other towns and looked at pottery in the shop windows, we could now tell the difference in the stuff made for tourists. Look at the shading and the outlines to see how well done they are. And then find something in a pattern & colors that you love. Have a great trip!

In Orvieto there was a shop right on the main square run by a couple. The husband is the artist and before him it was his father's shop. 18 June 2010 they had a handmade sign by the cash register sign saying they would ship to Canada & USA for free! Don't know anything about possible other conditions, insurance, etc. but it was an interesting sales idea.
The sizeable bowls and platters started at 200 and 300 euros but were really beautiful and included some nice landscapes.

We checked out the pottery in both Deruta and Orvieto within the last 2 weeks. I bought some small pieces in both places. I would have liked to buy bigger pieces but they really are expensive. A dinner plate runs a good $50E. An oblong serving platter in Deruta runs over $100E. A painted 10" wine jug/pitcher was well over $100E. I managed to find salt/pepper shakers for around $20E. Honestly, I found that the prices were comparable in both towns. In Deruta, the pottery in most of the shops (not all, but most) is made by the person who owns the shop. In Orvieto, I don't think that is so much the case but each shop seems to carry different lines so it is worthwhile to go into each shop. I made a huge mistake and did not buy a wine pitcher in a little shop in Spello for $32E. Quality was very good but I thought I'd probably see lots of these and perhaps for less. Wrong. Never found another. Now I'm disappointed. Anyone going to Spello? If you see something you like, buy it. You probably won't see it again and it won't be much cheaper.

Kay, I have that exact same story about a leather jacket I saw in a store in Pesaro. Store was closed for lunch and I didn't want to wait another 45 minutes. Figured I could find a jacket like that anywere. Never saw one again!

To the orginal poster, be sure to look into the VAT refund. It can save you a significant amount if you qualify.

The prices Kay has listed above for Italian pottery are similar to what what you would pay for American pieces from well-known regional or national potters in the US. My point is that these do not seem out of line for good quality pottery. Not out of line, but maybe out of budget!

For those of us in California...maybe other places too....I have collected a lot of expensive Deruta pieces very inexpensively at "Marshalls" (a discount department store). I even found a 30" Deruta vase (it's beautiful) for $100. Maybe there are other places too

Christine, When we lived in Pleasanton a couple of years ago, I had a friend buy some beautiful Italian pottery at Tuesday Morning in Pleasanton.

I dragged a huge Deruta bowl for 2 weeks from Assisi to Columbus, only to see it in the store window across the street from home for only about $5 more. Party A and Party B did not see eye to eye from the moment of purchase, and it went downhill (no pun intended) from there.

Well, Katie, now you had several replies giving opposite viewpoints. Being an afficionada of Italian ceramics - - especially but not exclusively Deruta - - I'll throw in my two cents. You should absolutely check around to see what prices and choices are available here. If you go on line you'll find some vendors that may not be in your area. Be sure to factor shipping into the cost. I know that Vietri can sometimes be bought here at super low prices. That being said, I have never seen, in the U.S., the variety of designs available in Deruta. A lot of what's here also has less painting on it, which makes it cheaper. One place in my area, that carries the high quality wares, charges a third to 50% more than do the artisans in Deruta. I (or should I say may husband?) have always carried our purchases home, usually in our carry-on bags.

One more thing I forgot to add. Someone mentioned asking for the VAT refund paperwork. I found that if I asked for that, I was offered a "sconto," Italian for discount, in lieu. Feigning a little lack of enthusiasm or mumbling some words about looking for something less expensive will often inspire such an offer from the merchant. This kind of bargaining is still rather prevalent in Italy. It's usually done in a friendly low-key manner, almost not like real bargaining.

I went to Orvieto in October--before February's kitchen remodeling. I bought four painted tiles (winter, spring, summer, fall theme) and a decorator worked them into a cool backsplash. Together they were perhaps 80E, maybe more. I also bought a beautiful hand painted olive oil container, which was perhaps 70E. I put it on a shelf near other travel treasures in my living room. There were other treasures there--you should have fun shopping. BTW, ceramics shopping is my new bad habit. Heavy to carry home, but I just love my pieces from my travels.

Katie, I'd like to request that you let us know what you decide about looking for pottery in Italy.
If you do purchase, would you let us know what and where? It's fun to see what happens after all of the suggestions,
Thanks, and have a great trip
Mimi

Our trip was wonderful; I arrived home Saturday night.

I bought 2 large plates (14" diameter) in Florence at San Miniato al Monte. We hiked up back streets to get there and enjoy the view, and I was pleasantly surprised to find they had a gift shop.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basilica_di_San_Miniato_al_Monte

The plates were 48 euros each. Going from memory, I was thinking that was less than what folks here had quoted for Orvieto prices, plus I decided I'd rather patronize the monastery :-) Bonus - they took Visa!

I also bought a CD of the monks Gregorian chant.

Beautiful Souvenirs Katie!

Did you carry them on the plane with you?

How did the remodel go? :-)

Thanks for letting us know what you found!

Yes, I had to carry them from Florence to Orvieto and then to Rome before coming home. Kind of a pain, but worth it. I checked the luggage that I had carried on going over. I packed 2 reusable shopping bags and used one to carry the pottery on the plane.

The kitchen looks nice. Dh didn't have time to finish all he planned, but it does look like a new kitchen. It makes the living room and hallway look shabby ;-)

Katie: I have loved Italian ceramics for a long time and I have a collection of different-sized platwa hanging on my living room wall. I also have a group of pitchers, a lot of small bowls and some assorted pieces. All were carried home by my husband and me. I have three larger pieces that I had shipped but that was before the advent of the euro and it wasn't too expensive. I have found good prices everywhere, particularly at the Florence street market near the train station. I have beloved pieces from San Gimignano, Orvieto, Monteriggioni, etc. The greatest array I ever saw was in Taormina, Sicily. Yes, you can find things occasionally at Marshall's, Ross, and other places but you have no memories attached to those. If you bring something back from Italy, you will smile everytime you look at it. Just a thought!

I purchased a beautiful terra cotta wall planter (flat on the back like the ones you see hanging all over Assisi) in Assisi a few years ago with carved grapes and vines. The shop wrapped it in bubble wrap for me and we were heading to the Amalfi Coast from here so did have to be careful with it. I did carry it on the plane to get it home safely. The following summer we were also in Assisi and I was able to purchse another of the same planters and they look lovely hanging on a small privacy fence near our patio planted with impatiens. I am so glad I purchased them and lovingly lugged them home! Stopped at a terra cotta factory in the countryside on another visit to Tuscany and purchased a terra cotta rooster that looks so cute in my kitchen. They said they only sold wholesale but they let us purchase. I love the things I have been able to bring home from trips abroad and they all have a special place in our home!

Congratulations on your purchases. I traveled all over Tuscany and part of Umbria last Spring and had a wonderful time. Purchased a set of platter, pasta bowl & salad plate for 108E in Assisi. The lady was so careful to wrap each piece in bubble wrap.. you know, I carried those pieces from Assisi to Lago Trasimeno, Siena and Florence in my backpack and there was no way someone at the airport was going to say my backpack was too big for a carry on. I was so afraid I wouldn't find the same lovely pieces in Siena and Florence, I just lugged it around in trains and planes and thankfully, all pieces arrived in beautiful shape. They are on my sideboard now just sitting there waiting for some gnocci and fresh pesto... yum !

Oh and Katy... I loved that church. Some of us on the RS tour hiked up that hill and also enjoyed the Gregorian Chants... lovely. I so miss Italy and cannot wait for my return. Ciao Bella Italia!