Early 16th Century Paper Plates from Umbria

Deruta, a hill town in Umbria (the very green Province next to the more popular and brown Province of Tuscany) makes great pottery. The pattern I fell in love with in the tiny Deruta store in Florence, in the shadow of the amazing Bargello museum, many years ago is called Raffaellesco, and features stylised dragons and lots of yellow and red. Said to date back to the early 16th. Century, and to be based on the murals of Rafael, hence its name. For me, these heirlooms you can use without fear, make the perfect talking point for your August Barbeques. See Matching Flipflops!