DESCRIPTION A 12" hand-painted cake plate in the Rosa pattern, made in Castelli, Abruzzo. Rosa is a floral design carrying several different flowers rather than a single repeated bloom, painted for several generations by the Pardi family of Castelli. A cake plate is the piece that comes out for birthdays, holidays and Sunday afternoons and otherwise lives on the counter with fruit on it. At 12" it holds a full cake or a tart, and the painted rim still shows once it is loaded. Castelli matters more at Biordi than at any other shop carrying Italian ceramics: it is the town Emilio Biordi came from before founding Biordi Art Imports in San Francisco in 1946. 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. Specifications Dimensions: 12" diameter Material: Hand-painted Castelli majolica Made in: Castelli, Abruzzo Workshop: Painted by the Pardi family of Castelli Pattern: Rosa — a mixed floral design Heritage: Castelli, in the Apennines below the Gran Sasso, and the home town of Biordi founder Emilio Biordi Care: Hand-wash recommended · Food safe · Not dishwasher, microwave or oven safe Sold as: individual Mixes with: the full Rosa service, Frutta, and plain white dinnerware Questions buyers ask Is Rosa one flower or several?Several. The pattern carries a mix of flowers rather than a single repeated rose, which is why two Rosa pieces never look quite identical. Can it be hung on the wall?Yes. At 12" the cake plate is the Rosa piece most often used as a wall piece when it is not carrying a cake. Can it go in the dishwasher?Hand-washing is recommended. Castelli majolica is food safe but should not go in the dishwasher, the microwave or the oven. Why does Biordi carry so much from Castelli?Because Emilio Biordi, who founded the shop in San Francisco in 1946, came from Castelli. Is this a good Italian wedding gift?Yes, and a memorable one — a cake plate gets used on anniversaries and birthdays for the life of the marriage, and it does not need to match anything. Is this a good housewarming or hostess gift?Yes. Arrive with something on it. 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). Pieces are bought directly from the Italian workshops that make them — FIMA, CF Deruta, Pia Formato, Eugenio Ricciarelli, Susanna DeSimone, Geribi, Bucci Ceramiche, Ortigia Sicilia, Italesse, and Salviati among them. Nothing comes through a distributor, and staff can tell you who painted your piece and where. Can this be customized or 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 [email protected]. Artisan Story Rosa — A Castelli floral pattern displaying multiple types of flowers, painted for several generations by the Pardi family. Castelli, Abruzzo — Castelli sits on a ridge of the Apennines in the shadow of the Gran Sasso and has been one of Italy's most celebrated ceramic towns for centuries. It is also the town Emilio Biordi came from, the founder of Biordi Art Imports.
