IT’S A MYSTERY TO ME HOW T’SAI LUN, a Chinese eunuch, was sitting by a river one day in 150 A.D., saw some plants and a rag floating on the water and thought, “A-ha! I can make paper!” But somehow the genius put two and two together and became China’s hero, because they were fed up with drawing on silk.
Cut to the thirteenth century, when Arab traders—who’d wrangled the Chinese to get the secret paper formula—brought it to Venice. Italians went crazy over the discovery. “Alleluia! We’re fed up with those stinky sheep skins!”
It was as amazing as the unveiling of the first PC. Europe rejoiced over the new paper world. Guttenberg really appreciated it, because the one Bible he wrote out the old way required skins from 300 sheep. “Let’s put it on paper. I’ll make a printing press,” he said.
And so the Italians, many in Florence, became bookbinders. And being Italian, they wanted to make their books pretty. So they covered them in tooled leather or paper they decorated with wood-block stamps. And they didn’t stop there. “What about those pages with all those words.... How about some designs!”
And that is why you’ll be wowed by the designs on Italian paper that artisans reproduce to this day. Most of them come from Renaissance times, such as lilies, which are the symbol of Florence. All that marbled paper got popular around 1750, when a company in Bassano del Grappa, north of Venice, produced it and sent it all over Italy.
Here’s where you can pick up beautiful handmade paper:
Florence
The Giannini family started out as bookbinders in 1856, then went on to become printers, publishers, and finally top decorative papermakers. Maria Giannini, the sixth generation of the artisan family, now carries on the tradition in this shop with many varieties of designs, including gorgeous marbled paper. If you’re interested in the secrets of the craft, they offer classes in papermaking.
Artisan Erin Ciulla owns this enchanting, tiny store and workshop, with a fabulous line of journals, frames, and paper, that’s lower priced than most others in town. She’s also expert at customizing products to suit your desires.
Venice
Here rich colors are blended as brilliantly as those on a pavone’s (peacock’s) tail, then hand stamped on to paper. You can buy sheets of paper (suitable for framing) stamped with patterns from geometric designs to gold-flecked floral prints. Their stationery, decorated with fancy lettered initials, makes for a great gift, as well as their textiles—from shopping bags to neckties.
Here’s where you’ll find the most classic Venetian designs. Olbi is a self-taught artisan, who makes such beautiful things as journals covered with intricately hand-tooled leather or Byzantine patterned paper, and stationery decorated with etchings of Venetian landmarks.
Amalfi
The Valle dei Mulini, adjacent to the coastal town of Amalfi, was a major center of paper production from medieval times until the mid-twentieth century, when a flood wiped out the mills. Amalfi has a paper museum where you can walk through an old factory, get the scoop on how the whole production process went, and buy lovely stationery and journals in the gift shop.
Charming traditional paper shops in Amalfi are Tabula (Via E. D’Aragona 1, www.amalfitabula.it) and La Scuderia del Duca (Largo Cesareo Console 8, www.carta-amalfi.com).
You’ll find Fabriano Boutiques (www.fabrianoboutique.com) in Rome (Via del Babuino 173, near Piazza del Popolo), and Italy’s other major cities. This isn’t handcrafted paper, but quality, chic stationery and journals designed by a company that’s been in biz for hundreds of years. Fabriano is named after the town in Le Marche where one of Europe’s first paper mills was founded in 1264. The watermark was invented there and now Fabriano’s major work is printing out euros. I bless them for also having boutiques in the Rome airport—it’s a great spot to pick up last minute souvenirs. Newer on the “Made in Italy” paper scene is Arbos (www.arbos.it), a Vicenza based company, founded in 1988, that’s committed to using recycled materials and environmentally friendly practices. You’ll find their stylish notebooks in Italian museum shops and Feltrinelli bookstores.
Golden Day: In Amalfi, visit the Paper Museum, see the Amalfi Duomo, enjoy shopping and the beautiful seaside setting, and eat at Trattoria Da Maria (Via Lorenzo d’Amalfi 14, 089 871 880, closed Monday, www.amalfitrattoriadamaria.com), a folksy place that serves delicious pizzas and pastas.