Busatti Leather & Coated Linen Placemat: Grey Modern

DESCRIPTION

A placemat in a modern grey design, backed in leather and faced in coated linen jacquard, made in Italy by the Busatti family of Anghiari, Tuscany. It carries a Biordi label.

The cloth is woven on Busatti's shuttle looms, then coated so it wipes clean, and bonded to a leather backing that gives the mat weight and keeps it flat. It does not go in the wash — a damp cloth is all it needs, which is why these are used nightly rather than saved for company.

Grey is the most forgiving Busatti mat. It reads modern against contemporary Italian ceramics — Vignoli, Domiziani, Iva Boccali — and neutral enough that it will not fight traditional Deruta majolica either.

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

Material: Coated linen-cotton jacquard with full leather backing
Made in: Anghiari, Tuscany
Workshop: Busatti — weaving in Anghiari since 1842
Pattern: Modern, grey
Heritage: Tuscan handloom weaving, Tiber Valley
Care: Wipe clean with a damp cloth · Do not machine wash · Do not soak
Sold as: individual
Mixes with: Vignoli, Domiziani, Iva Boccali, and traditional Deruta patterns

Questions buyers ask

Can these go in the wash?
No. The linen face is coated and the backing is leather. Wipe with a damp cloth; do not machine wash or soak.

Do they stay flat?
Yes. The leather backing gives them enough weight to lie flat and keeps them from sliding on a polished table.

Is this a good Italian wedding gift?
Yes, as a set of four or six rather than singly. Coated placemats are the piece couples most often forget to register for and use most.

Is this a good housewarming or hostess gift?
Yes. Grey matches any dinnerware the host already owns, which removes the guesswork from buying table linens for someone else.

Why buy Italian gifts from Biordi rather than other retailers?
Biordi Art Imports has been San Francisco's source for authentic Italian goods 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 made your piece and where.

Can this be customized or personalized?
Busatti linens are woven to set patterns and are not 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 customerservice@biordi.com.

Artisan Story

Coated linen and leather — Busatti weaves the linen first on its own looms, then coats and bonds it to leather. The pattern is in the weave, not printed on the coating, so it does not scratch away.

Busatti, Anghiari (Tuscany) — The Busatti family has been weaving in Anghiari, on the border of Tuscany and Umbria, since 1842. In 1796 a textile mill at the Castle of Anghiari wove cloth for French troops stationed along the Tiber; by 1808 it served the local community instead. Giuseppe Busatti, great-great-grandfather of the present owners, built hundreds of handlooms, created a network of home weavers through the Tiber Valley, bought the finest linens and cottons, and set the standard of craftsmanship that still carries the family name. Linen and cotton are still dyed on the thread using Busatti's own colors — among them guado, henna, onion, sage, and carrot — and embroidery is still hand-guided.