2017 update: Ragazzi appears to be “on hiatus” at the moment; there are no longer Ragazzi cribs or nursery furniture for sale. Here is an archived review.

Ragazzi is a nursery furniture brand with nine lives. The company started in the 70’s as a Quebec-based manufacturer of upper-end baby furniture and had its heyday in the ‘90’s.

Ragazzi’s long rein at the top of the luxury nursery market ended in 2006, when the company suddenly declared bankruptcy and shuttered its Canadian factory. In the end, Ragazzi fell victim to the same forces that doomed other Canadian furniture makers: high costs, competition from Asian imports and an unfavorable currency exchange rate.

Enter Stork Craft, the Vancouver, Canada-based furniture importer best known for its low-end cribs sold in Walmart. For an undisclosed figure, Stork Craft bought the rights to the Ragazzi name and re-launched the brand as an upper-end line in 2008.

Long story short—Ragazzi’s relaunch didn’t go so well. After switching factories more than once, the company withdrew from the specialty store market in 2014.

For a while, Ragazzi looked like it was left for dead. But then in late 2015, Ragazzi reemerged on Amazon and JcPenney.com. A typical example is the Etruia crib, which retails for $700 but is sold on Amazon for $344.70. In fact, the prices for Ragazzi furniture are about 40% to 50% less than on JcPenney, which makes us wonder if Ragazzi is dumping excess inventory on Amazon.

FYI: Retail prices for Ragazzi cribs range from $500 to $900 (most are in the $600 range). As for dresser options, Ragazzi offers the gamut, from three/five drawer chests to armoires, night tables and combo dressers. Most dressers are $850.

As for quality, it is good, in our opinion. Made in Vietnam, Ragazzi features quality finishes like dovetail drawers and top drawers with felt lining. Cribs are sold, but we saw more than one complaint online about shipping damage.

All of Ragazzi’s ups and downs in recent years make it a gamble to purchase. If you see this furniture in a store and can buy it right off the floor, then go for it. Otherwise, we’d pass on Ragazzi given all their tumult. Rating: C