Montecchio Maggiore Shopping Tips by mapakettle

Hand fashioned nails...: Building a house, need nails??

This man makes nails. One by one, the old fashioned way. The end product is as shown in the last photo, with a curved shaft, intentionally fashioned that way to prevent easy removal by thieves.

The metal is heated in his forge to a cherry red colour, hammered into a taper, tempered, then given a slight upward curve, and then inserted in a sleeve which holds the shaft in place, while the blacksmith fashions a head by hammering it flat as seen in the photo. Very interesting.

What to pay: This is strictly a hobby for this man. He also makes kitchen utensils such as forks, carving knives, table knives and serving forks, as well as a wicked looking cleaver. In fact, he is making a set for our return to Canada.

Theme: Other

Sebastiano Tome': Hand made chairs

This man makes chairs the old fashioned way, by hand. Every piece of wood is hand split, then attached to a type of form which holds the length of wood in place by friction. The craftsman then draws his plane carefully towards his body, taking care to ensure he continues to carve ' with' the grain of wood, slowly shaping it as he goes.

Painstaking work, and so time consuming, and that is just in fashioning making the frame. Next he has to weave the untreated sheaves of straw into tightly woven ropes, and fashion the traditional seat as seen throughout Italy.

What to buy: From what I understand, this craftsman makes strictly straw bottom chairs. Each piece is unique in its own way, and no two pieces will ever be exactly alike.

What to pay: Looking at the lead photo, you will notice the large arm chair to the left. Asking price is 300 euro. Smaller, less detailed chairs are lessor priced.

Address: Via Dani, 10 Ignago di Isola Vic.NA

Phone: 0444/975261

Theme: Home Furnishing