The Finest Florentine Leather
A Lasting Gift from Catherine de Medici
The History of the Florentine Leather Box
The Medici family is a household name throughout a great deal of Italy, particularly in Florence. Today, Florentine leatherworkers continue the tradition of handcrafted leather goods, much in the style of Catherine de Medici. When in Florence, both tourists and locals can visit Leonardo Leather and get a glimpse of how the finest leather goods are hand made a this location.
When Catherine de Medici was about to marry the French King Henry II, her dowry of jewels was sent in hard leather boxes, a memento for her to remember where she came from. The French were impressed with these containers of hard leather crafted without stitches. The boxes were fashioned using the same technique that was used to craft military equipment at the time, leaving the French in awe and requesting that more of these be made.
How Florentine Leather is Crafted
The process begins by carving a piece of wood in the desired final shape of the leather box. Strips of leather are then soaked to soften the material and the leather is placed around the wooden box and then heated. As the leather dries, it hardens and remains that way. Once completely dry, the leather is shined with a combination of paraffin wax and vegetable dies in order to achieve the desired sheen and color. The boxes are then stamped with a gold leafing, so each piece remains a personalized treasure. The final step is the removal of the wooden mold from the box. A finished piece, depending on size and detail, can take anywhere from 8 days to 9 weeks to complete, seeing as the entire process is executed without the aid of machinery.
Leather boxes are not the only goods produced at Leonardo Leather; products range from wallets, to belts, to jackets. Because of the time honored tradition of handmade leather work, prices are steeper than outside vendors who often are trying to pass up knockoffs. In June 2008, a leatherworker gave a demonstration on how to tell if a leather good is of top quality.
How to tell the Quality of Leather
There are three criteria when assessing a leather product; smell, feel, and fire. A top quality leather good will have had the original smell of leather removed, leaving behind only scent of the conditioner that was used to soften the leather. When feeling a leather product, if it feels too perfect, it is fake. Real leather has imperfections; since it is made from animal skin it is not infallible. A piece of genuine leather has suede underneath, as that is the other side of the animal’s skin. The third way to assess the quality of a leather good, though this should not be attempted by the consumer, is the fire test. If a flame is held to a piece of genuine leather, it would wrinkle, as skin burns and crumbles. A more acceptable way to test the quality of a piece of leather is to see where the tag is; on a piece of genuine leather, the tag telling the size etc. is only on the lining of the product.
Leather is a treasured good in many cultures. In Florence, Italy, Leonardo Leather gives visitors a demonstration of the time honored tradition of handcrafted leather. From the custom of Catherine de Medici’s hard leather boxes to the finest leather coats, Florentine leather is some of the finest in the world, but be wary, there are many imposters out there and know what to look for.
