The fascination with mysterious oriental porcelain and the desire to own exclusive works led Grand Duke Francesco Maria de’ Medici to found his own ceramic factory in Florence. Specialized technicians were brought in with the task of discovering the secret of producing the enchanting Chinese porcelain. Following numerous experiments, a soft-paste pseudo-porcelain was created for the first time in Italy, marked on the foot with the dome of Florence Cathedral and the letter “F”. The decoration with delicate floral ornaments was inspired by the most refined porcelain of the Far East and adorned elegant and refined shapes.