Richard Ginori was founded in 1735 in Florence by aristocrat Marquis Carlo Andrea Ginori. When the factory was started, ‘white gold fever’ had just begun to spread across Europe, and in time, production soon accelerated. The Ginori family’s success continued to 1896, when the company merged with Milanese ceramics manufacturer Augusto Richard, thus creating the firm of Richard-Ginori. Many mechanical innovations were introduced in the workshops during this period, with new Art Nouveau influenced pieces now being made alongside “classic” models of Doccia production. When architect Gio Ponti took over as art director, he revitalised production, leaving a profound and lasting mark. Today, the Gucci company owns Richard-Ginori.