Italy Imported ovens are hand made to order - this is the process:
The terracotta clay - from the same source as the clay that the tiles used for Florence Cathedral are made from - is mixed to the specific (and secret!) recipe ...
in the large clay mixing machine
Then the clay is compressed and excess water is expelled along with any air bubbles using the Vacuum Pug - this is also known as "wedging"
The clay is wrapped in plastic until it is used - this is to prevent it drying out.
The moulds - these are the original, "antique" moulds that the factory uses
and the hand tools for moulding the clay.
The clay is pressed by hand into the moulds and finished to the highest possible standard
ensuring that the oven will fit together nicely after it has been fired.
The hand moulded pieces are then dried in a controlled environment, the final stage before being fired. Dark clay is wet and light grey is dryer
The dried pieces are arranged and wheeled into the enormous kiln to be fired
The enormous kiln
The fired pieces emerge from the kiln - transformed from grey clay to recognisable terracotta