In 1972 in Sandrigo, home of longstanding traditions in ceramics, the couple of Cesare Vicino and Rosanna Pace founded the “Union Porcelain”. The ceramics of Vicenza had grown to become nationally and internationally recognised, and Union Porcelain was immediately recognised and respected, especially in Italy and America.
From its beginning, Union’s designs were courageous and individual. For almost twenty years they specialised in porcelain flowers, nicknamed ‘white gold’ due to the high quality of the product manufactured using celebrated techniques owned over hundreds of years since the Neapolitan Capodimonte manufactures, and hand decorated using local artistic traditions. In the 1990s Union started designing fine biscuit porcelain dolls. Hand decorated, these proved immediately popular, especially in Germany and Italy.
In 2000 international economies began to fall and competition from the Far East caused difficulties in the Italian porcelain industry. However, Union saw this as a challenge rather than a problem and concentrated on the uniqueness of the product, the skillful craftsmanship and the longstanding family history. The company welcomed Alessandro, Daniela and Laura, Vicino and Pace’s children, into the company, where they remain as owners keeping the traditions and values alive in all that leaves the workshops. By concentrating on its high quality, design integrity and using only the best materials Union began to flourish.
2003 saw Union purchase the Napoleon’ brand, an exciting aquisition which furthered the respect and trust in Union’s work, introduced their products to new audiences in Russia, Middle East as well as widen the selection of designs to Italy and the rest of Europe. Both Union and Napoleon have continued to experiment nub new designs which keep the highly important core values of craft and quality while continually offering new ideas. Forty years of careful and gradual development and care have taken Union’s workshops to where they are today, balancing modern material research with traditional values to produce contemporary designs using the same artisan craft which has been respected for centuries. People continue to discover Union’s flowers and ever renewing range of items, loving and collecting the unique objects produced-artistic, crafted and beautiful.
This history introduces you to the precious skills, values and love which go into each individual piece of porcelain which leaves the u’orkshop doors – traditional, the highest quality, timeless and unique. Wherever you are in the world you can now own a piece of classic Italian design.