BRASS WORKERS AND MELTERS

Do you have an Omega Ω Seamaster in your collection of luxury watches? Look at the back of your watch and you will see that, since the ’50, Ω Omega is using the shape of the seahorse made in Venice as a symbol of this prestigious watch!

In Venice the brass workers are called “Ottonai” and they work on some specific parts of the gondola like the overhanging light in welded brass plate called “faràl”, or the lights and the flowers holders called “canòni”.

The most famous parts of the gondola made by the brass workers are the decorations in the central part of both sides of the boat, called “cavài” (horses).

For the casting, the brass workers use an ancient technique called “a staffa” (stirrup). The stirrup, also known as a “libro” (book), is a box filled with very fine sand, known as “French sand”, in which the model is impressed. Then, the book is “closed”, after the model has been removed, and the bronze or brass is poured inside.

You can see my Photo tours and Photo Walks in Venice in my dedicated website: www.photowalkinvenice.com