Seriously handmade – ND Dolfi, Tuscany

It does not matter that you like its style, really. What you cannot help is admiring their stunning craftsmanship and wishing to touch it.

Yes, ND Dolfi’s pottery never goes unnoticed. It is a feast for the senses and a superb example of what traditional techniques, experience, passion and eyes wide open on the world can do.

The Dolfi family has been making pottery since 1941. Silvano Dolfi, father of Natalia and Daria, founded his own company in 1994. He did not take long to build a fine International reputation for himself as an artist and for his company.

His daughters have inherited his talents. Together, now that he is no longer with us, they design and hand craft large vases, bowls, tiles, lamps and gorgeous home décor accents. A collection that year after year gets richer and richer of vibrant glazes, bold color combinations and new textures.

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The Gran Tour of classical Italian pottery

This morning I was reading the news and a very familiar picture attracted my attention. It was a large ceramic centerpiece with scrolled handles, hand painted with a rich, Renaissance style design.
I know this work, it’s in our website. Why is it in the news???Centerpiece with scrolled handles "Julia Bella" by Alvaro Binaglia Centerpiece with scrolled handles "Julia Bella" by Alvaro Binaglia - detail

I read the article and I discovered that the picture of the centerpiece of our Deruta pottery artist, Alvaro Binaglia,  announced the grand opening of the exhibition “Grand Tour – An overview of classical Italian pottery” now on in Milan.

Grand Tour – An overview of classical Italian pottery

The exhibition is organized by the AiCC, Italian Ceramic Cities Association, that represents 34 cities with a “tradition in artistic pottery making”.

Just like Goethe, Stendhal and many other artists from the Northern regions of Europe undertook a traditional trip to Italy as part of their education, the curators of this exhibition guide the visitors in a most interesting tour of the many Italian regions that have contributed to the prolific history of Italian pottery.

From Sicily to Tuscany, from Piedmont to Umbria … each village contributes with its traditional pottery to the understanding of Italian culture: a puzzle of styles, glazes and designs that recalls the variety of our history, architecture and traditions.

Grand Tour – An overview of classical Italian pottery

Is Italian dinnerware dishwasher safe?

Is Italian dinnerware dishwasher safe?

Yes! It is safe to wash your Italian plates in the dishwasher.

We’d rather lay the emphasis on HOW to use the dishwasher with handmade Italian dinnerware in order to retain their beauty for decades.
Here are some useful tips:

  • use a fine china cycle, low heat and a good quality detergent
  • allow for enough space between your items to avoid accidental knocks during the dishwashing cycle
  • when you get your clean pottery from the dishware, do not place it on a surface that can be stained by water, such as stone or wood. The unglazed bottom will still be soaked with water!

Click to read more about Italian pottery use and care.

Enjoy!

Handmade Italian Dinner Plate - D&G Design