Peter Halley, Uovo In Raviolo Alla Bergese - San Domenico - New York, NY, ca. 2000

Makes a terrific gift. This beautiful, limited edition, extremely rare, plate signed and numbered bowl/plate was handmade in southern Italy by master artisans near Vietri sul Mare. The edition is 510 - but the reason one rarely sees this on the market is because only about half that amount were said to have been created, and the remaining ones were lost after 9/11.; the plan was to create a second batch after these sold out. That was in the year 2000. Then in 2001 terrorists struck the World Trade Center. All marketing efforts ceased. It is not even known if the other plates from this edition are still around - but they are rarely found on the marketplace. It was designed by the internationally renowned American artist Peter Halley. In 2000, Buon Ricordo America, Inc. commissioned famous artists to design plates for their flagship restaurants. Halley designed the present work for the renowned NY Italian restaurant San Domenico. Halley's design depicts one of the restaurant's signature dishes, Uovo In Raviolo Alla Bergese. Unfortunately, San Domenico closed its doors in June 2008. This plate is a real collector's item -- and difficult to find, as it was created in a limited edition for charitable purposes, available for sale at the restaurant - and never mass marketed. The artist's signature is fired into the plate on the verso (back) and numbered from the limited edition of 510. (though only 250 were said to have been created). From the late 1990s to early 2000s, Buon Ricordo America, Inc. collaborated with some of America's most prominent artists to make a series of plates for iconic restaurants throughout the United States. These plates were made in conjunction with Buon Ricordo America, Inc., an offshoot of the Italian restaurant union, Buon Ricordo (Unione Ristoranti del Buon Ricordo). The union has a long tradition of commissioning handmade plates that represent the essence of each of their member restaurants by artisans throughout Italy. The plates capture the essence of each restaurant’s local specialty, and the decoration is embellished with references to the restaurant, its local territory and products. The rim of each plate bears the name of the restaurant and the town or village it is in.

The plate was made from local clay from a quarry in Ogliara, a few kilometres from Vietri. After biscuit firing they are coated and decorated by hand by skilled craftsmen using a carbon “dusting” technique similar to that once used for Renaissance fresco painting. Once the plates were decorated they are glazed and fired for a second time to fix their vivid colors.

The verso (back) of the plate reads as follows:

"Limited edition designed by the artist to benefit charitable organizations dedicated to feeding needy home-bound elderly persons and helping children at risk from abuse and disease."
"The artist does not derive any income from the sale of this plate."
"Microwave, oven and dishwasher safe."
"Printed by Decoritalia"
"Made in Italy"

Artist signature fired into the plate on the verso (rear) and numbered from the edition of 510.