Metalworking in Italy

The muffled sound of a blacksmith’s poker, the pungent smell of iron, the heat of the fire… all suggesting one of the most primitive crafts, the art of forging metals, that still lives on in workshops throughout our traditional country.

Iron, copper, brass, steel, used to make furnishings, sculptures, furniture, knives, are often perceived as cold and heavy materials, but for these artists-artisans, if necessary, they can show their vital and sinuous sides.

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Well-known and internationally acclaimed, working for generations in Milan, are workshops that have now become historical. In Bologna too, there are workshops with the charm of yesteryear where precious furnishings, classic and modern, in the most varied shapes, are brought to life.

In Fermo, in the Marche region, since the Middle Ages, alongside wrought iron, copper has been worked into the so-called calderai or large pots and pans.

In the very quaint Medieval Village in the Parco del Valentino in Turin, there is the wrought-iron workshop where many great and skilled craftsmen create timeless objects.

In Tuscany, in the town of Stia, in the province of Arezzo, the European Biennial of the Blacksmith’s Art is held, with the World Championship in forging wrought iron takes place, not to be missed for fans of the sector.

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An area in which Italy has world supremacy is undoubtedly cutlery. An example is Scarperia, in the Mugello in Tuscany, where in the 16th century, its products reached the most important Italian and European markets, and in 1930 there were about 120 knife shops. Today in the area there are some valuable cutting tool manufacturers. Or in Frosolone, the city with steel roots, knife making has ancient origins, as it also does in the Maniaghese area and Sardinia. This wealth of knowledge is still reflected in the highest quality knives, crafted with the greatest attention to detail.

Discover all craftsmanship Metalli

Decorative Arts
Metals

TN di Trinciarelli

It all began in 1937, with the business founded by blacksmith and farrier Amelio Trinciarelli . In 1996 the company took the name TN di Nello Trinciarelli, carrying on the work of a craft workshop for the production of wrought iron objects, just as Amelio once did in the premises of his own home and […]

Località Prato d’Era, S.S. 439 km 12,5 - Volterra (PI)

Decorative Arts
Metals

Montagnani Spartaco

Just as the Etruscans, of whom Volterra was one of the main city-states, did millennia ago, and just as his father, who opened the workshop in the late 1940s, did, so Spartaco Montagnani in his workshop in the heart of the historic center makes finely crafted cast bronze figurines. Reproductions of Etruscan art, including the […]

Via Porta all’Arco, 6 - Volterra (PI)

Decorative Arts
Metals

Fonderia Artistica Valese dal 1913

Carlo Semenzato trained at the historic Fonderia Valese, founded in 1913, and has been the owner of the business since 2006. Semenzato creates his works by using the traditional Fontainebleau glass sand, pressing it into wooden or iron frames to work the object into the desired shape. Once the casts are removed, molten metal (either […]

Venezia

Bronze
Brass

Fratelli Ciulli

Just a few dozen metres from Porta San Frediano stands the workshop of the Fratelli Ciulli, specialised in the production and working of objects in iron and brass. Since 1950 the Ciulli brothers have been creating chandeliers, wall lamps, decor accessories and lampstands that bring together the expertise of craft workmanship and aesthetic research. Customers […]

Firenze

Decorative Arts
Metals

Duccio Banchi

A rare example of expertise handed down from master to apprentice, just like in the ancient Florentine craft workshops. Vasco Cappuccini opened this workshop way back in 1925, and his only student, Lamberto Banchi, took over the business in 1946. Today, the company is run with passion by the latter’s son Duccio, a craftsman in […]

Firenze

Furnishing objects
Decorative Arts

Romoli illuminazione

Two brothers with a passion for metals and everything that can be derived from them in terms of home decor. Daniele and Chiara, artisans with their hands the first, with the designs and the choice of materials the second. The inspiration for the models winks at the retro lines of the ’30s and ’40s, but […]

Grassina (FI)

Decorative Arts
Metals

Antonino Sciortino

A former industrial area filled with showrooms and, at the end of the garden, a truly special workshop: the headquarters of Antonino Sciortino, an artist-craftsman who specializes in wirework and creates highly original furnishing objects, from tables to lamps, from chairs to bookcases. Born the youngest of nine children, he began working at a very […]

Milano

Decorative Arts
Metals

Simoncini Studio

Since 1960, the Simoncini firm has been making bronze and brass castings in Volterra, the city where more than 2,000 years ago, the highly specialized workshop was located, once Etruria, today Tuscany. The pieces range from furnishing accessories to sculptures, collectibles and art reproductions. The Simoncini family is descended from the sculptor Francesco Simoncini and […]

Volterra

Decorative Arts
Metals

Zanetto Argenti

A laboratory where artistic objects are crafted from noble metals for the decoration of rooms and tables. Founded in 1963, the company boasts more than half a century of experience and makes use of the most talented Italian workers in the silver sector to produce innovative objects featuring sophisticated design. By skillfully combining the most […]

Albignasego (PD)

Decorative Arts
Metals

Il Bronzetto

Lighting and furnishing objects made of brass, copper and bronze by skillful artisans. The workshop, which was started in 1963, has been able to keep in step with market trends over the years, becoming well-known both in Italy and abroad. Every object is the result of experience and deep knowledge of materials and processing techniques. […]

Firenze

Decorative Arts
Metals

Fonderia Artistica Battaglia

Fonderia Battaglia has been casting in bronze for the greatest twentieth-century and contemporary artists since 1913. Battaglia’s artisans make use of a process that dates back to nearly 5,000 years ago: lost-wax casting. In addition to artisan skill and tradition, the foundry is committed to constant research work on bronze-related techniques, such as the experimentation […]

Milano

Decorative Arts
Metals

Fabbro Ferraio di Filippo Quochi

The heir to a family of master blacksmiths for three generations, Filippo Quochi boasts a twenty-year experience in the iron-working field. His accurately detailed work and creative skills have transformed a job into an art form. He creates beautiful sculptures featuring plays of symmetry and balance and a great sense of proportion and beauty. Portions […]

Livorno

Decorative Arts
Metals

Virgadamo Mario

The firm has an ancient tradition dating back to 1500. In 1700, according to historical records, this direction was taken by the Mulè family. Bronze bells are made by hand and on commission both for churches and for private individuals. In addition to the traditional bells, it also makes tuned concert bells, made according to […]

Burgio (AG)

Decorative Arts
Cutlery

Fogarizzu

The outstanding personal qualities, combined with the solid family tradition, make Piero Fogarizzu an experienced Master cutler. The Fogarizzu family have been making magnificent handcrafted Sardinian knives for four generations now. Faithful to the ancient tradition of ‘frailalzuor’ of the Sardinian blacksmiths, Piero does not fail to endow his creations with his personal touch. In […]

Pattada (SS)

Decorative Arts
Metals

Coltellerie Paolucci

In Paolucci’s workshop, one can still smell the odours and hear the sounds that up until 10 or so years ago were typical of the city of Frosolone, where the art of forging has very distant origins. Experience has been handed down from father to son, and makes it possible for them to produce the […]

Frosolone (IS)

Decorative Arts
Metals

Picchiani e Barlacchi

Since 1902 Picchiani e Barlacchi have been making artistic medals using traditional techniques: anniversaries, awards and any event can be a pretext for the creation of a small jewel or medal. Recently, the company has been devoting the same craftsmanship and attention to the creation of small accessories and silver jewellery. Everything is designed and […]

Firenze

Decorative Arts
Metals

Roberto Ziranu Rilessi di ferro

With five generations of family expertise behind him, Roberto Ziranu is a true expert in hand-crafting metals. His works have the technical perfection of one who knows all the secrets of this profession. However, at the same time, they are striking for their creativity and innovation. All the processes are done by hand, the techniques […]

Nuoro

Decorative Arts
Metals

Bottega del ferro battuto

Since 1977 in Turin, Mastro Corradin has been working in the beautiful setting of the medieval village within the Parco del Valentino. In addition to focusing on the production and restoration of objects in forged iron, he works with colleagues and craftsmen specialized in the working of other materials, such as wood, stone, glass, ceramics, […]

Torino

Decorative Arts
Metals

Artigianato Artistico Cav. D’Aloise

The current D’Aloise handicraft company is a family tradition with over a century of history. Its roots, linked to an artisan workshop that produced scales, date back to the late 1800s. Currently it is mainly devoted to the production of copper, brass and wrought iron objects (lamps, chandeliers and fireplace accessories, such as andirons, fireplace […]

Agnone (IS)

Decorative Arts
Metals

Giacomo Filippini

Giacomo Filipini’s works are the result of experiments, studies and hard work, but also an innate curiosity. Stimulated by a dynamic and multifaceted artistic environment, he gained experience in various techniques, only to find in working in iron a privileged form of expression, which distinguishes him on the contemporary art scene. His works show the […]

Flero (BS)

Decorative Arts
Metals

Rinomata Rameria Mazzetti

To make a pan it is necessary to start with a sheet of pure copper, of a thickness of at least 2mm, given that if it were any thinner than this, when the piece is fired it would not be able to withstand the tinning process. The finest blades are used for artistic work. These […]

Montepulciano (SI)

Decorative Arts
Metals

Bottega Prata

For nearly a century, here, in this historic workshop of Bologna, visitors have watched the magic of iron being worked into different shapes. Today it is Pierluigi, the founder’s grandson, who devotes himself to the creation of precious decorative objects in both classic and modern styles, in a wide variety of shapes and sizes, all […]

Bologna

Decorative Arts
Metals

Lispi&Co.

Lispi & Co. forges designer objects in wrought iron. Emanuele Lispi learned this art from his father and his family that has worked iron for generations, while taking the work in a new artistic direction. At the Lispi & Co. workshop it is not simple objects that are created but real works of art, conceived, […]

Città della Pieve (PG)

Decorative Arts
Metals

Navarini Rame

Hephaestus’ art has been practised by the Navarini family for generations and not by chance next to the workshop there is a museum that introduces the world of copper and its uses. In the last fifteen years most of Navarini’s production has been kitchen items and in particular pots, made entirely of copper or with […]

Ravina di Trento (TN)

Decorative Arts
Metals

Biagiotti Mario e Figli

The company was founded by grandfather Alfredo in the early 1900s with the working of various metals, particularly copper and brass. His son Mario was the one who perfected his artistic wrought iron. Today, the three children and grandson continue the family’s artisan tradition of wrought iron. In the shop, they produce commissioned works of […]

Pienza (SI)

Decorative Arts
Metals

Rocco Petrunti

Rocco Petrunti, heir to a family tradition that has been passed down for five generations, is a skilled cutler whose workshop is in Frosolone, where this craft has very ancient roots. Along with the typical local production of penknives, ‘sfilati’ and ‘mozzettas’, Petrunti also makes zouaves and grafting knives, as well as customized sporting knives […]

Frosolone (IS)

Decorative Arts
Metals

Marinelli Pontificia Fonderia di Campane

The Pontifical Marinelli Foundry is located in Agnone, a village in Molise, known as the “town of the bells.” Many generations have continuously made a living in this family business, which is considered the oldest in Italy, with its 700-year history. In the ancient forge, bells and bronze sculptures are made entirely by hand, using […]

Agnone (IS)

Decorative Arts
Metals

Fratelli Antonini fu Giulio di Pietro Antonini & C.


The history of Fratelli Antonini fu Giulio began in 1929 with Antonio and Luigi Antonini. Following in the wake of a tradition in Maniago that has ancient origins, they dedicated themselves to the craft of the blade and knives. Today, they concentrate their production mainly on professional kitchen and cheese knives, the various tools for […]

Maniago (PN)

Decorative Arts
Metals

Silver Tre

Riccardo Traviganti is an eclectic craftsman who inherited the metal crafting business from his father Carlo. He creates extraordinary objects in silver, brass, copper, and steel. These include the stunning Fabergé eggs two meters high, or the life-sized carriage pulled by a mechanical horse. Today, the torch has been passed to his children Carlo, Mara […]

Milano

Decorative Arts
Metals

Coltellerie Berti

The year 2015 marks an important anniversary: 120 years of business since David Berti started production in 1895. Today, both the passion and the craftsmanship remain unchanged. But the knives made by Coltellerie Berti are not only handmade but also unique: there is only one knife maker who leaves his initials on the blade, to […]

Scarperia (FI)

Decorative Arts
Metals

Ambrogio Carati

Founded on four generations of solid family tradition, the Carati Workshop makes furnishings in brass and bronze. Recognized among the old historical workshops of Milan, its production has expanded over the years, and it is dedicated to creating embellishments for antique furniture, lighting accessories, furniture and other products. Thanks to a deep knowledge of the […]

Milano