DESCRIPTION Contrade Italian Dinnerware is available in all 17 District Designs and each design is available in eight different products. The Owl (Civetta), for centuries has represented the "Rione della Civetta" during the Palio horse race. "Rione" stands for Neighborhood. The Contrade Italian Ceramics are handcrafted in Siena, Italy. Civetta is situated immediately to the north of the Piazza del Campo in the centre of the city. Traditionally, its residents were shoemakers. Civetta's symbol is a crowned owl sitting on a branch. Its colours are red and black striped with white. Its motto is: "Vedo nella Notte" (I see in the night).[4] For years Civetta was considered the nonna (grandmother) because it had not won a palio for over 30 years. Civetta won the Palio in August 2009, thereby losing the name "nonna". In August 2014, Civetta once again won the palio. On September 19, 2014, members of the Civetta contrada held a street celebration in honor of their victory. Civetta’s allies are Aquila, Giraffa, Istrice and Pantera. Its rival is Leocorno (since 1960). This piece is created as a special order, hand-painted just for you by skilled Italian artisans. Each item is crafted individually using time-honored techniques, resulting in a one-of-a-kind work that carries the mark and spirit of its maker. Because of this meticulous process, production takes time—but it is precisely this dedication to craftsmanship that makes it worth the wait. Place your special order and bring home an authentic piece made exclusively for you. 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. ARTISAN STORY During the Renaissance, Italian cities were partitioned into districts or neighborhoods called Contrade to supply troops to the military. Today, the most celebrated Contrade are of Siena, where 17 Contrade, each represented by a symbol or animal, compete in the Piazza del Campo for pride and the glory of winning in a biannual horse race called the Palio di Siena, which dates back to 1656.
