Scuola del Cuoio Vintage 1950s Purse Blue Gold Embossed Italy Hand Crafted

Description: Scuola del Cuoio vintage 1950sLeather School ~ Housed in the Monastery of S Croce , Florence, ItalyDouble twist turn lock front closure. Embossed in gold along the edges. Double leather handle.Red leather interior. Accordion styleBag is in very good condition. Length ~9 inchesHeight ~ 7 inchesDepth ~ 2 inches closed. Expands to 10 inches.Strap ~ 6 inches Scuola del Cuoio was created after World War II through the collaborative efforts of the Franciscan friars of the Monastery of Santa Croce and the Gori and Casini families, Florentine leather artisans since the 1930’s. Their mission was to give orphans of the war a means to learn a practical trade with which to earn a living. Santa Croce, with its strategic position along the banks of the Arno river, since the 13th century has been the district where the industries that required great quantities of water were concentrated. The tanners of via delle Conce and via dei Conciatori, just a few steps from the garden entrance of the Monastery and Scuola del Cuoio, were an important part of the Santa Croce neighborhood with the dyers of Corso dei Tintori and even the soap makers of via dei Saponai. The street of the neighborhood keep alive the memory of their origins: Corso dei Tintori (Dyer’s street), Via delle Conce (Tanneries’ street), Canto delle Mosche (Flies’ place, from the many insects that the remains of the process would attract). At the beginning of the ninth century, along the river, between Florence and Pisa, a district of tanneries was settled and named, perhaps not ny chance, Santa Croce Sull’Arno, which is today renowned as one of the best tanning districts in the world.The tanned hides were used for centuries for city’s the leather manufacturing and at the Monastery itself to cover the great manuscripts. Post-war Scuola del Cuoio brought those traditions back to the Monastery. The friars converted the old dormitory space for the school and the first workbenches were placed in the corridor. During the Renaissance, the Medici family donated this dormitory wing to the Franciscans and commissioned architect Michelozzo for its construction. The main corridor, with its vaulted ceiling and coats of arms of the Medici family over the doorways and mantle, is also decorated with frescoes executed by the school of Domenico Ghirlandaio.Among the first students of Scuola Del Cuoio there were orphans of the boy’s town of Pisa, “La Citta Dei Ragazzi”. The students were taught the differences between the various kind of leather, the methods to cut leather by hand and began to create a variety of leather items ranging from handbags and briefcases to other small leather goods. The more gifted students learned how to make artistic objects such as desk sets and jewelry cases and the art of gilding leather using 22 carat gold. In May of 1952, Scuola del Cuoio, due to the growing demand of fine quality hand-crafted products, opened its doors to clients inside the laboratories of the school in Santa Croce. The fondest costumers of Scuola Del Cuoio were from United States. Among these costumers: the 6th fleet (stationed in the Mediterranean), the U.S. Air Force, the 5th Army and the American Embassies in Europe and even a personal order from general Dwight D. Eisenhauer, when he became president, of a leather desk set hand crafted and hand gilded in the scuola. With support of the Italian Foreign Ministry, the then-Mayor of Florence, Giorgio La Pira created two annual scholarships for boys from Third World countries. At the end of the 1950’s, in agreement with the Ministry of Justice, Scuola del Cuoio started to offer classes inside the prison. As a result, some of the young people who were admitted to these re-educational programs are still working in factories in Tuscany, Veneto and also inside Scuola del Cuoio itself . Marcello Gori was given by the Government a medal for the re-education of the prisoners. On November 4th, 1966, after several days of torrential rains, the Arno River flooded Florence. The debris and mud from the countryside hit the district of Santa Croce, historically prone to flooding, the hardest. Scuola del Cuoio, like the entire Basilica of Santa Croce, was completely engulfed with the flood waters and sludge. The damage paralyzed the business for almost a year. Nevertheless, thanks to the enthusiasm and commitment of the family and staff, Scuola del Cuoio was brought back to its efficiency. In 1968, President Saragat named Marcello Gori ”Cavaliere del Lavoro”, thus sugelling his lifetime dedication to a socially fair and sustainable business aiming for excellence. Over the decades, Scuola del Cuoio has been honored to welcome many internationally renowned visitors. Among them: the Royal Families of England, Japan and Sweden, the Queen of Greece, the President of the Italian Republic Carlo Azeglio Ciampi, Sen. and Mrs. Ted Kennedy, Madeleine Albright, former U.S. President Ronald Reagan and former First Ladies Nancy Reagan and Barbara Bush.

Price: 174.99 USD

Location: Sherwood, Arkansas

End Time: 2024-11-20T20:08:11.000Z

Shipping Cost: N/A USD