Some of the most common traditional crafts in Piedmont are woodworking and restoration , metalwork , stonework , and glasswork . There are also textile workshops where embroidery , tapestries , and fabric work are done entirely by hand; Borsalino hats from Alessandria are internationally famous .
In the Maira Valley, an area rich in mines, ironworking is one of the most important activities, while in the Germanasca Valley, marble processing is well-known thanks to the quarries located in Maiera, from which marble was also extracted for the construction of important historic buildings in Piedmont, such as the Turin Cathedral.
In the Canavese area, copper processing is still renowned today , while in the province of Cuneo the production of musical instruments such as organs and harps is well-known: in Quarta, wind instruments in metal and wood are made and in Leinì, accordions are produced.
In Mondovì, however, there is a long tradition of ceramic production , where the first ceramics factory was founded at the beginning of the 19th century.
“Piedmont Artisan Excellence” brand
The Regional Council of Piedmont has created a brand for all those companies that produce products of Artisan Excellence (Consolidated Law for the artisan LR 1/2009).
The “Piemonte eccellenza artigiana” brand, consisting of an “M” and a heraldic emblem, certifies quality production and is also a guarantee for consumers, who can be sure they are purchasing local, certified products made by artisan businesses.
In this way, the Piedmont Region intends to safeguard and promote ancient crafts, both to offer new job opportunities and to guarantee consumers quality products.
Ceramic
In Castellamonte, the production of ceramics for everyday and domestic use, such as plates, vases, cups, and glazed ceramic stoves , is still active today .
Ornamental ceramics and tableware are typically produced in Mondovì, Chiusa di Pesio and Villanova Mondovì, while hand-made bricks are produced in Vinovo in addition to furnishing and architectural elements made of terracotta .
Today, some ceramic workshops create both indoor and outdoor furnishings, gift items, hand-decorated pots and plates, as well as a range of custom-designed pieces.
Goldsmith’s art
One of the most important and renowned Italian locations for the goldsmith sector is Valenza , in the province of Alessandria, where the highest number of artisan goldsmith and jewellery businesses in the country is concentrated.
In 1945, on the initiative of some goldsmiths, the Valenza Goldsmith Association (Aov) was founded in Valenza. Today, it includes around 500 companies in the sector and its objectives include the protection and promotion of local goldsmith production at an international level.
Metals
Among the various metals worked in Piedmont, copper is certainly typical of the areas of Pont Canavese, Alpette and Cuorgnè, while iron working is mostly concentrated in some workshops in the province of Cuneo, in Vernante and Rivarolo and given the presence of some mines in the Maira Valley this activity was flourishing here as early as the sixteenth century and Venasca was one of the most productive centres in the whole area.
Stone and granite
The most important centers for stone working in Piedmont are Candoglia, Baveno, Mergozzo, Gravellona Toce and Ornavasso.
The white granite from Montorfano , on the shores of Lake Mergozzo, is renowned nationwide, so much so that the columns of St. Paul Outside the Walls in Rome were used to make this material in the 19th century.
A museum is also dedicated to the history of this precious white granite: the Montorfano Granite Ecomuseum , which includes a tour of the entire area and its surroundings, starting from Montorfano, which is part of the so-called “Graniti dei Laghi” (Granites of the Lakes), ancient rock outcrops: a large open-air museum up to the “Cadorna Defensive Line” where you can rediscover the history of the quarrymen’s trade.
Websites on traditional Piedmontese crafts
- The Crafts Portal
: A website promoting typical and traditional Piedmontese products, where you can find information and online services for artisans and citizens. - Friends of Monregalese Ceramics Association
Website of the Friends of Monregalese Ceramics Association where you can find information on the history of ceramics production in the Piedmont region as well as news on events related to local ceramic production.
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