A testa di moro is a Sicilian ceramic head, hand modelled and hand painted, and as a Christmas present the first thing to check is not the model, it is the date. Every head in this catalogue is made to order, so in December the constraint that counts is the calendar. Order on 15 December and it will not be under the tree.
Once that is clear the rest is simple. A head is a present that explains itself, it has no sizes, it does not go off, and it does not ask you to guess somebody's taste to the millimetre. Here are the timings, the sizes and how the pricing works.
The December timings, in plain terms
Two numbers, both published in our shipping terms.
- Delivery takes up to 30 days from the confirmation of the order. With a bank transfer the count starts from the date the money lands, not from when you send it.
- After 10 December shipments stop and start again in the second week of January.
Put together they say one thing: for the parcel to be there for Christmas, the order goes in during November. That is not a trick to make you buy early. It is that the piece does not exist until the order arrives: it has to be formed, dried, fired, glazed, decorated and fired again, and none of those stages can be shortened. Outside Italy the journey adds days on top, so November is the safe window rather than a suggestion.
We do not publish a guaranteed cut off date, because it also depends on the courier and it is not a promise we can keep for everybody. What we can give you are the two numbers above: order by the middle of November and you are inside with room to spare, order in December and you are counting on luck. If you have a date you cannot miss, write to us before ordering and we will tell you whether it can be done.
Testa di Moro with Beads h 40 cm / 15¾", Woman, Decoro Sicily
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Testa di Moro with Beads h 40 cm / 15¾", Moor Male, Decoro Sicily
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Testa di Moro with Lemons h 40 cm / 15¾", White Male, Green and Orange
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Testa di Moro Medusa h 25 cm / 9¾", with Bordeaux Beads | Caltagirone Ceramics
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- 15 to 20 cm, roughly 6 to 8 inches: the small gift. It fits anywhere, it travels well, and it works even for somebody you do not know deeply.
- 25 cm, roughly 10 inches: the most gifted size. About 18 cm wide, it sits on a shelf without asking permission.
- 30 to 40 cm, roughly 12 to 16 inches: the serious present, the one opened in front of everybody. You need to know there is a place for it at home.
- Over 45 cm, roughly 18 inches: a family or group gift. That is not a December thought, it is another piece of furniture.
If the person already has one, the elegant route is the counterpart of the same model: nearly all of them exist in a male and a female version.
What it costs
Price climbs with the height and with how much handwork the decoration asks for. The small sizes sit at the bottom of the range, the 25 to 40 cm sizes are where most gifts land, and the large formats with the most worked finishes sit well above. Each piece carries its own price on its listing, and shipping is shown at checkout before you confirm, so there is one less thing to check in a month when delivery costs move everywhere.
Packing, delivery, and what to tell the person receiving it
Every piece leaves insured, by express courier, packed to survive the journey. On delivery, sign with a reservation even if the box looks intact: that is the step that keeps the insurance claim open, and in December, with the volumes going through the warehouses, it is not a detail to skip. If you find damage inside, photograph it and open the claim: in December it is worth doing straight away rather than waiting until Christmas to open the box.
If you ship directly to the person receiving the gift, warn them about that signature. You lose a bit of the surprise and you keep the cover, which on balance is the better deal.
One thing we get asked a lot in December: at the moment there is no gift wrapping or card to add at the order stage. The piece arrives in its protective packing, which is designed for the journey and not for sitting under a tree. If you need something different, write to us before ordering.
Common questions
By when do I have to order for Christmas?
By the end of November. The piece is made to order and takes several weeks, so a December order is unlikely to arrive in time.
What happens if I order after 10 December?
The order is taken but shipping starts again in the second week of January. If the gift has to be handed over on the 25th, that date does not hold.
How much does a testa di moro cost as a gift?
It depends on the height and the finish. The most chosen band is the 25 to 40 cm sizes; each listing shows its own price.
How much is shipping?
It depends on the destination country and it is shown before you confirm the order.
Can you ship it straight to the person receiving it?
Yes, just give us their address. Tell them to check the parcel and to sign with a reservation on delivery.
Where to start
If the gift is decided and there is still time, the shortest route is to look at the models chosen most often: they hold up even when you do not know the recipient's taste perfectly.
Go to the most chosen models, or first read what to check when buying online.
