Casa Stone {TM}   by Casafina is a fine Portuguese Stoneware.

Not all stoneware is created equal. In fact, there is not a standard, universal definition of stoneware and the word is frequently misused to describe other ceramic bodies.

What makes Casa Stone {TM} stoneware unique are the following production procedures:

The Body

The raw materials for the body are prepared for Casa Stone {TM} at a refinery that has the latest in sophisticated quality control equipment and procedures. There are many steps necessary in refining and mixing of the clays and removing foreign particles before the body is ready to be produced.

Casa Stone {TM} is comprised of three Portuguese natural clays that are finely milled. One of them is kaolin, which is also used in the production of the fine porcelain. Kaolin is a pure silicate and gives whiteness to the body. Deposits of this high quality clay are found in Portugal, England, Limoges and the United States.

Feldspar, also comprised of silicates, represents 30% of the body and adds strength to the body by fusing under high temperatures. Silica, which is a glass-like ingredient, helps to bond the other four elements together in a uniform body.

Independent laboratory tests have proven that Casa Stone {TM} can withstand the rigors of daily use in a dishwasher and in ovens while other, inferior stoneware tend to deteriorate over a comparable period of time.

Kiln Firing

Casa Stone {TM} is fired doe eleven hours at 1400 degrees F. The result is a totally vitrified body, which has an absorption rate of less than .3% (less than three tenths of one percent). Products with higher absorption rates tend to chip and cannot withstand thermal shock. There are stoneware products on the market with over ten times Casa Stone’s {TM} porosity and that is the reason that they are not suitable for use in the ovens.

Glaze

The Casa Stone {TM} glaze has a distinctive luster similar to fine porcelain but it is highly resistant to scratching. It is also very easy to clean and can withstand the daily use of an abrasive cleaner or carving knives without scratching the surface.

The glaze is fired at the same time as the stoneware body, which permanently bonds the two products together. The compatibility of the glaze and ceramic body is critical to the quality of the finished product. If they have different shrinking rates, the glaze will crackle or become detached.

The hand decoration is applied prior to the glazing so that it is permanently protected and will never fade or discolor.

Thermal Shock

Because of the formula of ingredients and the firing temperatures, Casa Stone {TM}   is similar to fine porcelain but is much stronger and has the unique ability to take a wide range of temperatures. It is guaranteed to endure temperatures from zero degrees F to 500 degrees F.

Stoneware retains its heat so that food remains warm at the table.

Thermal shock can occur, however, if a hot piece is placed on a cold surface or visa versa.  In the first instance, the body is cold and the upper portion is cold. Simply stated, do not remove these products from the freezer and place in a preheated oven, microwave or other hot surface, allow the products come to room temperature first. Conversely, do not remove products from the microwave, oven or other hot surface and place directly in the freezer; allow the products to come to room temperature first.

For beautiful dinnerware products that can be used on a daily basis in the oven, the microwave, the freezer and the dishwasher, there is nothing comparable to the Casa Stone {TM}. It has become the stand of quality in the industry.

Pitney Manor offers many Casa Stone {TM} products in a variety of colors, patterns, sizes and shapes for cooking and home entertaining.  Many of our customers’s mix and match various colors to create a truly unique collection of these hugely successful products.

Vintage Port

Red
White
Blue
Mocha
Green

Madeira Harvest

Dijon Gold
Vanilla Crème
Robin’s Egg Blue
Sage Green
Salmon
White