I’m terribly fond of old photos.

I had these pictures of my dad on the wall for years and looked at them every day. The big one is from 1968 shot in the same room after I’m working, the other smaller ones are from the years 40-50-60, you can see my grandfather too.

One day I promised myself to turn them into something to take with me.

The main problem was how to attach photos to the skin, how to protect them and give elasticity.

After a few days of experiments gone to no avail I succeeded in the intention. I’ve had three pocketbooks and I can’t hide the excitement of using them every day. I feel like I have a guardian angel and I firmly believe that there is no final separation as long as the memory exists.

If you have a photo of your grandparents, parents, children, grandchildren, girlfriend/or dog, a look that you are particularly fond of, and want to make a unique gift, contact me.

A clutch like this costs 99.00.

No one is sure of ending up in heaven but the memory is the only paradise from which we cannot be driven.

L'articolo Operation Memories proviene da Manicomio Italia.

When we talk about vegetable tanned leather, we are referring to a raw leather, usually bovine or ovine, which has undergone chemical processing, Tanning, which is characterized by the fact that only substances found in nature are used, such as tree bark or flowers (so-called tannins). The purpose of tanning is to make animal leather (material that can deteriorate and that in its raw state is not usable) It is imputressible and usable for the creation of useful tools and objects to man.

Characteristics of vegetable tanning

Vegetable tanning is one of the oldest methods of tanning hides, which consists in transforming a raw leather of animal origin into a material that resembles the original, using, as chemical reagents, exclusively natural substances (which are found in the bark of some trees) called tannins. From this complex transformation process the so-called “vegetable leather” or “vegetable tanned skin” is born.

Vegetable tanning is a totally natural process that respects the animal and the environment and uses substances found in nature to give unique characteristics to the leather, Moreover, this type of processing takes place without upsetting the leather and without treating it in an aggressive way.

One important thing that we want to emphasize is that all the skin used for this process, comes from sheep and cattle that are in the production of the food chain, no animal is slaughtered for tanning the leather. This means that no animals are killed to benefit the tanning process.

For the reasons listed above, vegetable tanned leather makes it a totally harmless skin for people who suffer from allergies precisely because of the absence of chemical substances to which an individual can be allergic.

In past centuries this type of skin treatment was excessively slow and involved the skins being put into tension with a loom and immersed for 1-3 months in a solution of water and tree bark, which were checked frequently, especially the tanning state. Until the 1960s, vegetable tanning was done in tanks (slow tanning in tanks)in which the skins were immersed in solutions where the tannins were put into different concentrations (in an increasing way) and lasted about 30 days. Today, the so-called fast drum tanning is mainly used which, thanks to the cirgolar movement and the beating, It allows to obtain a more flexible leather and to decrease so much the tanning times that are between 36 and 48 hours.

Why is vegetable tanned leather different and special?

This process for the transformation of raw leather into leather used for the creation of leather objects, is much slower and more complex than chrome tanning, and is made of those who are truly passionate and experienced in this process. Vegetable tanning is done with the use of tannins that come from trees or flowers, which can give the skin a warm and natural color (characteristic of this type of tanning) It ages over time but does not spoil and makes the natural marks of the leather emerge on the surface, enhancing its quality. In this process we can have leather of “natural” color that is from beige to brown, and also colored skin, But it must always be remembered that vegetable tanned leather is distinguishable with the naked eye from chrome tanned leather. The hardening also changes: compared to chrome-tanned leather, the hardening of this leather is more rigid and compact, Although these factors vary and change a lot depending on the vegetables and fats used and their quantities. Everyone has his “recipe”.

Advantages of Vegetable Tanned Skin

The main advantages of vegetable tanned leather are:

• The use of natural substances in the tanning process
• This type of skin has unique and unrepeatable characteristics
• It is suitable for people suffering from allergies
• Has no impact on the environment
• Unique and unmistakable smell
• It is easily customizable with the most varied techniques: engravings, prints, colors etc..
• It achieves high thicknesses, up to 6 millimeters, which other types of tanning cannot achieve
• Greater strength and durability, the skin does not age but improves over time
• It is environmentally friendly
• It is an excellence of the “Made in Italy”
• It has a higher cost than other skin types
• Added value perceived by the end customer

Disadvantages of vegetable tanning:

The main disadvantages, however, are:

• Length and complexity of the processing process
• More expensive raw materials for production
• Cost of the major process
• Hardly standardised
• More limited colour range

L'articolo VEGETABLE TANNED LEATHER proviene da Manicomio Italia.

The machine makes many pieces all the same, the different one is discarded.

I do a few pieces and all different.

When I realize I’ve done two of the same I feel a sense of nausea

Let me create, let me invent, let me be myself!

I live to create, I create to live Choosing a personalized gift means making the sender of the gift understand that he has been thought of in a special way. … Turning a common object into an exclusive thought is the fundamental concept that underlies the personalized gift. An act of the heart to communicate an incredible sense of love.

We are so used to buying mass-produced items in factories that we have forgotten that there are still people who produce handmade items, unique and customizable according to our requests. Ebene yes, the craft still exists. Only the craftsmen do not sell in shops in the center, but on the internet. Here they managed to create a small space where they can make themselves known and sell their precious creations.

1. It is original

A custom item is original because it will never be the copy of something you can find in any store, indeed, it will be just the opposite! The custom object is made and thought by those who buy it, so it reflects his idea and creativity and therefore will never be banal.

But no one will ever have a custom item that’s the same as yours.

When you give a personalized item, you’re telling that person that you didn’t want to give them something that can be found at the usual store, but you preferred to look for something unique and personal like her.

Giving a personalized gift can be considered a symbol of love, esteem or admiration. When you give someone something as special as a personalized jewel, the feeling goes to the next level.

It shows the effort and time you have put into making this gift and will remind you of that person every time he or she wears it, making her feel special.

It is handmade from start to finish. From the concept, to design, creation, packaging and shipping, everything in each handmade object is made by hand.

When you give someone a handmade item, you’re telling them they deserve something unique and special. You’re not giving him any piece of plastic, but all the love, attention, craftsmanship that object breathed as it was created.

L'articolo Our philosophy proviene da Manicomio Italia.

I have a good story to tell. My grandfather Livio Quadri was involved in 1941.

Want to know a special story? The one that marks the past of this historic shop in Montepulciano, which has existed since 1848 and where 5 generations have now followed?

Here it is!

It was the Christmas Party of 1941, grandma Bruna, expecting her third child, and grandpa Livio as always, were in the workshop.

The children, Tommaso and Silvana, small and playful, enjoyed their holidays. It was cold and, with other children, they started to play ball in the building opposite the shop.

One of the three boys, between shots, naively told a joke about the Duce! The ears of the first floor tenant, a fascist leader, were alert and the eyes recognized in the group the small Thomas, unique in the place.

It was lunchtime and everyone went home.

At the opening of the afternoon there was a nasty surprise.

Around 3 pm, the police Alfa Romeo arrived from Siena and took away Grandpa Livio and Tommaso who were beaten to death.

It was easy to see who had snitched!

The beating was to know the name of the person who told the joke! Grandpa didn’t talk because he didn’t know, Tommaso didn’t want to.

For almost two years it was Tommaso and Silvana who ran the shop. Grandma Bruna was engaged with the newcomer and grandpa Livio was forced to six months in prison and a year and a half of confinement.

The grace for his release came, a few months before 1943, thanks to the tireless grandmother Bruna who wrote many telegrams to the queen and was rewarded! A joke changed the life of a man and a boy! War, fascism, fear have shaped the lives of many.

L'articolo Our history proviene da Manicomio Italia.