Giulio Giannini e Figlio
The Giannini family business began in 1856 with Pietro Giannini’s stationery and bookbinding bottega in Piazza Pitti. Known for his superior skills, Pietro made a name for himself and planted the roots of the family’s bottega. The family worked with important clients (including the Grand Duke of Tuscany, Leopoldo II) and continued to grow and transform through the years.
Today, Maria Giannini is the sixth generation of artisans with her hands literally in the family business. She works beside her uncle Guido Jr. creating everything from books to marbled paper. Each Giannini generation has expanded the business and enhanced a craft that is “more than in our blood, it’s in the air." “Più che nel sangue, è nell’aria.”
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“150 anni di storia alle spalle.”
Through the centuries, they have never lost sight of their values: using quality materials and antique methods to cater to their clients’ needs.
With each generation, the Giannini family learned to adapt to the times. In the 1870’s, the Victorian era, Florence saw a massive rise in English tourism. Visitors to the city were enthusiastic about taking home a Florentine souvenir like a handcrafted leather-bound photo album, a specialty of the bottega. Even Queen Victoria was gifted a Giannini guestbook on her visit to Florence!
The family of artisans trained directly inside the bottega and each would bring their individual talents into the business. Giulio Sr., the “king of gold leaf,” specialized in the Stile Fiorentino and with his punzoni (metal stamp punches) became well known for his application of gold foil decoration onto book covers.
The generations that followed Giulio would continue the tradition of artistic bookbinding for public and private collections and specialize in illustration, leather goods, xylographs, book reproductions and even publishing.
“We have 150 years of history under our belt, with styles that have breathed life inside the bottega, not just seen and discovered but absorbed and that makes a remarkable difference.”
Along with these traditions, Maria’s goal is to let their exquisite decorative paper move to center stage.
As we visit her, she is preparing a seaweed gel for marbling ornaments; an ancient technique she continues to use. She is fascinated by colors and among her initiatives are workshops for those who want to learn these traditional marbling techniques.
“Attingere da qualcosa che ti appartiene per nascita.”
No one told Maria she had to start working in the bottega – in the beginning she only worked in the family shop during summers to earn money to travel. She cleaned, gift wrapped (she jokes that she can tie the perfect bow!), prepared paints and learned English by speaking with customers.
At 21, as she got closer to the family craft, she began working part time in the bottega and it was time “to tap into something that belongs to you from the day you are born.”
Just as her ancestors were influenced by the English, Maria reminds us of the importance of cultural influences – “contaminazione è importante.” Maria’s curiosity and wanderlust began as she started to travel Europe at the young age of 15. A free spirit, one of Maria’s favorite parts of the job is touring fairs and cities on the lookout for inspiration and ways to expand the business. Maria is ready to experiment, whether with home furnishings or a jewelry line, she stresses that the most important element in her business is understanding clients.
“Più che la passione è la responsabilità”
The responsibility of carrying on the family’s 150-year-old tradition is at times overwhelming. “I find myself at another historical crossroads and I need to take a step forward. I am faced with a challenge: I have to take advantage of the cultural heritage I’ve been given because I don’t want my family’s history and this Florentine tradition to be lost.” While her roots are in Florence, Maria keeps a pulse on world markets and she knows she needs to look beyond the city to find inspiration from clients.
Her goal is to incorporate ancient techniques into new products and markets, exploring new prototypes. When asked about the future of the bottega, Maria jokes that if she is good at “selling it” perhaps one of her four children will take the reins, but she reminds us “ci vuole coraggio – it takes courage.”
“I piccoli dettagli fanno la differenza in un lavoro e anche il gusto.”
From leather bound journals to marbled photo albums, the bottega has accumulated an expansive collection of products along with a patrimony of antique book covers and metal stamp punches. Looking at the bottega’s magnificent collection of decorative paper the possibilities are endless. “The smallest details and good taste are what make the difference.”
As the family legacy continues, Maria focuses on developing techniques, marbling different materials, experimenting and trying to transfer her heritage.
Her goal remains to find harmony between tradition and innovation.
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