sharkmom

I had mentioned in another thread that I was determined to get to Deruta to buy Italian ceramics. Another Fodorite mentioned how disappointed she was in what she saw there and mentioned Rampini Ceramics (with showroom in Florence and studio in Chianti). There are probably many other places as well. Since the exchange rate is so poor and these things are so expensive, I am trying to figure out the best place to purchase some ceramic plates. Are the shops in Florence more expensive than the factories? Will Deruta offer better prices because there are so many shops there? Is there a better city (like Gubbio or Rome) to shop? Any help here is most appreciated.

isabel

I was disappointed with Deruta. Nothing there that wasn't available in many other towns is Tuscany and Umbria, and no better prices. I would definitly not go out of my way to go there. I found plenty of selection in Siena, Florence, Orvieto and Perugia, to name only a few. Most towns in those regions will have several ceramic shops, much of it similiar. But if you find a piece you really like buy it, as you may not see the exact same thing again.

shadowcat

I went to Deruta about 5 years ago. The stores on the main street are not worth it, but I found a great place at the top of the old part of the town. It is called Fornace San Lorenzo, and, at the time, it was owned by a young woman named Monica. She did not do the traditional style of ceramics. Hers were larger designs and more vibrant colors. I purchase a beautiful blue bowl with a sunflower in the middle, plus a platter and candlesticks. I really don't remember what I paid for them.

They have a web site, but I see that they ask you to register for a password to see her items. The web site is http://www.fornacesanlorenzo.com/.

issy

We went to Umbria last year, and made two trips to Deruta just for the ceramics. If you only stop at the ceramic shops that you can see from the freeway, then you will definately be disapointed. They are nothing special at all. You must go to the "centro" in the old town (up the hill) to really see the beautiful, traditional pieces. Easy parking. Some of the shops are better than others, but as a whole they are superior to anything you see out of the old town. My absolute favorite is Miriam Ceramics. We never saw ceramics as detailed and exquisite as the ones we saw in Miriam during our two week stay in Umbria and Tuscany. They are not cheap, but are worth every cent. I don't know if they are available anywhere else, but we never saw them in any other shop.

Gubbio has it's own distinct style of ceramics, which we didn't care for as much. We prefer more vibrant designs. That's just us.

You also ask if the shops in Florence are more expensive than the factories. If you want mass produced, factory pieces, then anyplace is as good as the next so don't go out of your way to Deruta. If you want traditional,beautiful hand painted pieces, you should go to the old town in Deruta. They are not mass produced.

I don't know where you fly in/out, but if you were to fly into Rome and drive up to Tuscany, Deruta is not that far off the path.

Have fun!

StuDudley

The best ceramics we've seen in Deruta is at A. Grazia - at the bottom of the hill - not the top. He has been featured in many magazines, and his stuff is carried in many high end places here in the US. Generally, however, if you are planning to purchase a large amount of ceramics from him, you will have to wait 6 months or longer before they are shipped to you. Except for Fema, just down the road from Grazia, the other stuff in Deruta isn't that appealing to my wife.

We have purchased ceramics at Rampini also, but it is very expensive. Orvieto has a large supply of affordable ceramice, and we've purchased many things there. Siena has a few good shops also.

For a large selection of primitive ceramics at very reasonable prices, the Amalfi coast - Positano, Ravello, and especially Vietri (where they make it)will satisfy your needs.

Stu Dudley

Alajan

On the steps of Perugia's duomo on Tuesday and Saturday mornings, you can find lovely pieces from Deruta - good prices.

A. Grazia does have some lovely things but they are indeed very commercial (not that there's anything wrong with that) and certainly eager to let you know that they produce for Williams-Sonoma, Saks, etc.

I have shopped in Deruta before but always with an Italian friend that knows the artisans. It sounds like you are on a mission for pottery so I would suggest looking for a guide, especially if you want certain items at a good price.

Alajan

I forgot to say that Anne Robichaud offers a tour of Perugia and Deruta. Her website is www.annesitaly.com.

Dayle

Whoa, sharkmom! I just got home and received a nasty surprise in the mail! A bill for $27 additional $US for customs duty on the serving platter I bought in Rapallo and shipped home.

I thought you only had to pay duty if you went over a certain $ amount, which I'm sure I did not. Any one know the answer, or do I need to call US Customs Office?

My $300 platter just got more expensive...

jabez

We ,too, were disappointed in Deruta when we went three years ago.While they have quality pieces, there doesn't seem to be any bargains (especially in the old town).
The last two years we hit shops like "Ceramiche Rampini"near Radda and enjoyed the trip, the quality and the prices.

sharkmom

Dayle, that is certainly an unpleasant surprise. The ceramics are expensive enough on their own. I hope we can find out about the customs surcharge. I will need to take that into consideration as I shop. Thanks to all the wonderful suggestions, I am going to try and visit as many of these places as possible. I have waited a long time to get to Italy and really hope to find some better prices than what you see at Williams-Sononma. Unfortunately the Rampini shop in Rada is only open M-F and so I'll have to check out their store in Florence. Does anyone know if the prices are the same in both places?

SloJan

Issy,
We loved Miriam's things as well! They aren't traditional but the fine work is so exquisite. We left there a few Euros lighter!
Cheers,
Jan

Dayle

Hi sharkmom,

From my understanding at the Rampini factory in Rada, their prices are discounted factory prices. The Florence showroom is more $.

By the way, I didn't care for the traditional Gubbio patterns either. Muddy, unappealing colors.

Buon viaggio!

NYCTravelSnob

With this inquiry, everything depends on taste and budget. I've written a few times here about purchasing in Deruta.

Deruta offers tons of crap. There's so much garbage there you could easily drive through the place and ask yourself, "Why did I bother?" Much of their inventory is made in China, and elsewhere, and sold to unsuspecting tourists as authentic. But the truth is, if you're looking for something special; a specific shape, size, or hand-painted piece, Deruta offers some of the best artisan shops in Italy. You'll certainly pay less than what you'd pay at Saks, Neiman's, Tiffany, Bergdorf, etc., for the same item. The term "bargain" truly depends on whether you're shopping for quality.

Finding the best Deruta shops requires research. There are some well-known recommendations listed on this thread by posters I would trust. I wouldn't hesitate to contact any high-end store and try to get more current information from a buyer in the trade who knows his/her stuff. You may need some street savvy to get the information but, once you do, you'll know exactly where to shop.

issy

SloJan-
We did some severe damage at Miriam's as well. We were too nervous to have it shipped, so we carried it all on the plane. Talk about heavy! We're nuts.

Dayle - when we shipped some wine from France last year we also had to pay some $ for customs. It was really nominal when compared to the value of what was sent.

NY- You are so right about there being a great deal of junk in Deruta. We did do some research before we left. We were looking for items that were not mass produced, and that were not readily available in a department store. If you can find those shops, then you will be very happy with the decision to stop in Deruta.

Dayle

Issy,

I'm being hit with a 10% duty. My platter was $270 $US, plus shipping ($40), now plus duty - because I shipped it rather than carry it back (which was impossible). I wouldn't have purchased it had I known!

Factor this in when you're buying goods overseas....

lincasanova

it is worth it to find out the customs duty for items before your overseas trip.

i believe you can ship back home max. $100/day to your address free of duty, but after that you must pay the normal import fee for whatever item you are bringing in.

I am not sure, though, so check with gov't. they produce a pamphlet about it all. But I cannot tell you where to get it, nor do i have the webpage for this info, but there must be one. it would save a lot of unpleasant surprises for people.

LJ

Just a word in defence of Gubbio pottery...as I sit looking a half dozen pieces purchased there that we love from one of 6-8 different ceramicist/potteries, I think I would be more inclined to call the colours "subtle" rather than "muddy". Beauty is in the eye of the beholder...BTW, I agree withthe poster who suggested Perugia's market, both for variety and good prices.

nancy

While in Tuscany/Umbria I was specifically shopping for ceramics for my daughter. I thought the best shops were in Orvieto. As far as I could tell there was a "Deruta" style ceramic which wasn't my taste but after 10 days driving all over I would recommend Orvieto for the best selections.

Simone1

Dayle – I found the following link:

http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/travel/

I also copied a little bit of a very long document on the right hand column of quick links under international mail.

“Getting packages from abroad

As stated earlier, when a package first enters the United States, it arrives at a post office near the addressee. That Post Office will route it to one of 13 Customs international mail facilities, where Customs inspectors will determine whether duty is owed. Customs then returns the package to the Postal Service for delivery (unless the value of the package is over $2000, in which case the package will be held by Customs until formal entry can be made). If duty is owed, the Postal Service will collect it from the recipient before delivering the package. If the package is a gift worth more than $100, the recipient will be charged duty. (Please see the section on gifts starting on page X.) The sender can reimburse the recipient for whatever duty he or she has paid; however, by U.S. Customs regulation, duty cannot be prepaid; in all cases, including gifts, the parcel’s recipient bears responsibility for paying it.”

I hope this helps.

Dayle

Simone,

Yes, I was reading the same web site earlier. From what I gathered, if you ship something that is over $200 US, you pay duty on the entire value (usually price paid - BUT not always). I couldn't find anywhere what the exact rates are though. 10% seems awfully steep to me.

If you carry it back with you - you can the limit is $800.

The logic of this excapes me....