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Want to repair window gilding in Florence, Italy?

Hand Lettering topics: Sign Making, Design, Fabrication, Letterheads, Sign Books.

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Dan Seese
Posts: 324
Joined: Tue Apr 13, 2004 11:29 pm
Location: Fort Collins, CO
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Want to repair window gilding in Florence, Italy?

Post by Dan Seese »

Well, this is a longshot but here goes:

Rather than tacking this entry on to the earlier thread about the gold leaf window signs in Florence ( https://handletteringforum.com/forum ... f=2&t=3043 ), I thought I'd make an appeal here on behalf of the owner of the Papini Leather Goods store. Paolo Papini, the older gentleman I mentioned in that post, emailed me recently. What I gather from the email is that it is difficult to find sign painters in Florence. The founding date on his door is wearing off. He suggested that if I visit Florence again I could bring my tools and repair the window.
Well I have no plans to return to Italy any time soon but thought possibly someone on the forum may be doing so. It's a tiny job but if I were going, it would be a thrill to do it!

This is what he wrote to me in his broken English:
The sign-makers are difficult to find here in Florence, my sign have the 8 of the foundation date slightly rub off and the artist who did it is retired .The use of the gold leaf that has been used so commonly years ago
is now a problem. Imagine that in our workshop we have used in the 68 years that I have spent in my Company we have used so much gold leaves from Giusto Manetti ,the antique florentine maker ,that only to burn the cotton used to clear off the gold not pressed by the decoration bronze tools ,we were able to gain a real big amount! ! Other times,
If in the future are you caming to Florence again,stop with your tools You could do the repair ! Best regards.Paolo Papin

Here it is on google maps: https://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&suge ... a=N&tab=wl
Their website has contact information: http://www.papinileather.com/
That whole area is an incredible treat and you would thoroughly enjoy Mr. Papini. You can see a picture of the door below (before the "8" had begun to wear off.)

It seems as though we are enjoying the fruits of an art that is dying even in Italy.

Like I said - it's a long shot.
Attachments
The "8" is wearing off on this door
The "8" is wearing off on this door
Papini-door.jpg (111.85 KiB) Viewed 4077 times
Dan
"The lyf so short, the craft so long to lerne."
Geoffrey Chaucer (c. 1340 - 1400)

http://DanSeeseStudios.com
http://www.DanSeeseStudios.com/blog/
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Roderick Treece
Posts: 1086
Joined: Sat Apr 10, 2004 8:04 pm
Location: San deigo Calif
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Re: Want to repair window gilding in Florence, Italy?

Post by Roderick Treece »

Hi Dan, Do you have his e-mail address ? Is he willing to pay for expenses ?
Dan Seese
Posts: 324
Joined: Tue Apr 13, 2004 11:29 pm
Location: Fort Collins, CO
Contact:

Re: Want to repair window gilding in Florence, Italy?

Post by Dan Seese »

Hey Roderick -
The email I've included is about all I know but I could pretty much guarantee he wouldn't pay for expenses. If he would pay for expenses - an all expense paid trip to Italy would do me just fine!
No, I think it's just a small job that would not take much time. Since he can't find someone locally, he suggested that if I am in Florence again, I could take care of it while I'm there. (I assume he would pay for the expense of the time to do the job, the gold used, etc.)
I just thought someone on the forum might be heading that way and could take care of it.
The contact information is in the website I included but I'll go ahead and email you his email address as well.
Hope you're keeping busy there in southern California.
Dan
"The lyf so short, the craft so long to lerne."
Geoffrey Chaucer (c. 1340 - 1400)

http://DanSeeseStudios.com
http://www.DanSeeseStudios.com/blog/
http://www.facebook.com/DanSeeseStudios
Lee Littlewood
Posts: 228
Joined: Thu Apr 15, 2004 2:36 pm
Location: Portland, Oregon
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Re: Want to repair window gilding in Florence, Italy?

Post by Lee Littlewood »

Stopping by Florence on a Snowy Evening
*********************************************
Whose sign this is I think I know.
His shop is in the village though;
He hopes that I could make it here
to fix his "8", so bleak and drear.

*************
Sounds like a great excuse for a trip. Do we have any European gilder readers..?
where am i? Now, when i need me...
Kent Smith
Posts: 569
Joined: Fri Dec 31, 2004 6:41 pm
Location: Estes Park, CO
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Re: Want to repair window gilding in Florence, Italy?

Post by Kent Smith »

I am up for it, does the IRS .56 per mile apply? Surely someone closer than Colorado would be interested? Greek? Brit? Hmmmmmm...
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