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.