Richard Ginori Italian Porcelain –
Hey there! I just got back from an amazing trip to Italy. It was a dream trip, but it did not compare to what I stumbled across in Firenze (that’s Italian for Florence). I found dish heaven! Really, all joking aside, this isn’t where dishes go to die, it’s where the finest porcelain dishware is created. The flagship store of the Manufactory (that’s a fancy word for factory) of Richard Ginory is located in Florence, Italy and it was a feast for the eyes!
Quick history of Richard Ginori. It was founded in 1735 and creates porcelain composed of quartz, feldspar and china clay. The entire process, from casting, firing and all hand-painting is carried out at the Sesto Fiorentino factory outside of Florence. Today, it is owned by Gucci.
Let me set the scene for you: Ruthann and I were slowly walking down a side street. (Which, they all seem to be side streets in Italy because the streets are so narrow). We were both so tired as it was our last day in Florence and we had been sight seeing for 10 straight days. We stumbled into a church that was amazing, but as we came out of the church I saw a storefront full of dishes. Of course we both made for the window, when we came upon the most delightful collection of plates. 
This store was perfect. If I had a porcelain dish store, this is exactly how I would do it. There were dishes everywhere. I mean, cases and cases of dishes. Tables full of dishes. Pantries and built-ins full of dishes. A sunroom full of dishes. You get my point
What really knocked me over what that they had painted one of their premier patterns, Oro de Doccia, which translates, “Gold Shower” in Turchese (or Turquoise) on the barrel vaulted ceilings. The upholstery and case pieces were all fabulously European, so chic and exuding easy elegance.
Even though I love dishes, we simply don’t have one square foot (or meter, since we are being European) of space to store any more. So, guess what! They have this collection of insects painted in blue and white! I mean, you can imagine my reaction. I get really excited when I discover something I’ve never seen before.
The collection is called Insetti and it comes in a plethora of patterns, but I chose Orientale Italiano Blu (naturalamente!). Insetti is a modern take on a 19th century practice porcelain artists used to conceal flaws in the medium. Today, the Insetti collection reinterprets the decorative accents, metamorphosing them into subjects in their own right. And, of course each insect has an ancient symbolic meaning. I just selected the three that looked best together: the three-horned beetle, rhinoceros bettle, and the cicada. Of course, I wanted all of them to make maximum impact, but Ruthann thought it best to start a small collection we can expand to celebrate special occasions. She was right, obviously!
I could go on and on here, but just enjoy the pictures and imagine standing in such a glorious place. The Italians really know how to do it! Ciao!
