Books, quills, compass and maps organized in glass showcase, what look to be antique store from outside, is a unique gift shop in Florence. Signum is an authentic collectible gift store with handmade items particular to the store. Customers can see the people making the artifacts as they shop which adds to the originality of the store. From handmade leather books, feather quills and ink pigments, wax stamps, hand painted paper, reproduced maps, mini libraries, and wooden human figures, the place attracts tourist that seek for authenticity of the domestically produced crafts and collectibles.
Founded in 1992, Signum attempts to preserve the Florentine craftsmanship. “Our goal is to rediscover the old traditional art skill of Florentine craft and make them available to people,” said the store manager as she glued tiny books to mini wooded shelf. There are three Signum stores spread across the town, near prominent locations such as Ponte Vecchio, Santa Croce and Palazzo Vecchio, that attracts the tourist as they walk by.
The specialty of the store is their leather books. Andrea Brogi and Laure Marrer Becheroni are specialized with the skill of binding books by hand with real Tuscan leather. The books come in varied range of paper selection from regular paper to handmade paper from Amalfi coast that bears a Signum watermark. It takes couple hours to make an inch size book sold for €5 to about 2 weeks to make larger book for special order which they sell for €2000. This includes the whole process of cutting, stacking and fabric binding the handmade paper and covering it with leather binding over the fabric. A signature book of the store is the wood covered leather book, also consisting of handmade paper with leather binding that is covered with slices of wood taken off the pillars of old houses in the region.
Another most sold item in the store is the hand printed paper by Carlo Saitta who paints the paper with water transfer hydrographic technique creating amazing marble texture in bright colors. This is done by adding paints to water and creating pattern by hand. The paper is laid over the surface of paint to get imprinted on the paper which is let to dry for days in open air. These papers are then sold as rolls or in form of envelopes and postcards. Along with the hand printed paper, the store has items like books, journals, pencils, pens and envelope covered with the famous Carte Florentine which is bright colorful paisley like pattern in reds, greens, and blues.
Collectible mini libraries, crafted by Elisabetta & Sara Cammelli, are miniature library shelves and must have for book lovers. The siblings make these by hand cutting small paper and leather, and arranging them in mini wooden shelf along with tiny venetian glass vases and other metal artifacts. Signum is the only store in town that makes these and well known for making the largest mini library which is 1 square meter.
Antique looking wooden and feather quills of all size adds to the collection. The multi-color inks specially manufactured for the store also compliments. The inks are sold as liquids as well as beads that can be dissolved into ink as required. Along with these, the store has a wide collection of wax stamps for sale that can be personalized and sold along with wax sticks of different color. These were previously used as personal identification marks and seal for documents in history, but now used as decoration or collectible item. Regardless of its use, its customizable feature makes everyone want them.
The cartographer section in the store displays world and regional maps that have been reproduced by hand based upon the original maps which are in museums. These maps are imitation of some of the oldest maps known in history of cartography. They are handmade and painted with imperfections that are visibly spotted which enhance the authenticity. Although being representation of original art pieces, these maps are highly in demand as they add historical aspect to the buyers’ collection.
A shelf in the store is dedicated to Comedia dell’Arte or Italian Comedy Theatre. Italy’s very own theatre technique that is characterized by masks worn by professional actors, sit on the shelf in form of wooden figures and tiny mask that can be kept as souvenirs. Many small Pinocchio also stands in different poses along the same section paying tribute to its Italian writer.
The library looking store had much more to offer than the items in the showcase. Its attempt to preserve and recreate traditional Florentine craftsmanship serves the tourist with its endemic rich collection of art and craft.
Rasika Rane 