Discover the story and tradition of our workshop
The workshop close to La Fenice teathre
In this magical place in the renowned district of San Marco, just a few meters from the homonymous square and a short walk from the famous Teatro La Fenice, tradition and innovation come together to create unique and timeless works.
Our workshop is not only a place of work but also a family environment where love for art and dedication to the craft blend harmoniously.
Every product that leaves our hands carries a piece of our heart and our history.
The numbers of Stefano Casati's tradition
the complete story
Together, they spent countless hours in the city's libraries and witnessed the skilled work of Venetian artisans, learning to hand-print on velvet, bind books, coat masks, marble paper, and more, initiating a production rich in colors and inventiveness.
Over the years, their workshop earned an excellent reputation for the quality of its products and the passion put into each creation,
becoming a reference point even abroad for lovers of Venetian craftsmanship.
In 1995, they finally realized their long-held dream: to purchase the shop overlooking Campo San Fantin, between the famous Piazza San Marco and the historic Teatro La Fenice, in order to preserve and pass on the ancient Venetian arts they had learned and cherished.
Initially, on his own, he opened a shop in Barbaria delle Tole 6676, near Campo S.S. Giovanni e Paolo. Later, together with Paolo Scalabrin, he founded "Marbled paper & Leather by Stefano Casati and Paolo Scalabrin", located in Fondamenta del l'Osmarin.
The upheaval of 2020, marked by the global pandemic, brought drastic changes worldwide, leading to a return to their roots, specifically to the shop purchased in 1995, where Stefano's artistic and work project finally resumed its course.
His daughters join him, having regarded their father's workshop as a safe haven to express their own creativity since they were children, despite previously pursuing studies and careers in different fields, with the aim of keeping the family tradition alive: Naïs, the eldest daughter, has always shared with her father a passion for writing and the art of bookbinding; Elfi, the younger daughter, is equally motivated by a love for art and a desire to preserve ancient manual techniques.
Thus, thanks to the collaboration of three generations, within the walls of Stefano Casati's family workshop, every day ancient artisanal techniques blend with new ideas and projects, creating works of art that carry with them the eternal spirit of the city on the water.
The Marbling process
First, we prepare a natural liquid that is then poured into a tray.
Next, we apply drops of colors that remain on the surface and manipulate them with various tools to create different patterns.
Finally, we gently dip the edges of books and a sheet of paper onto the colored surface, allowing the designs to transfer onto them.
Printing on velvet
Next, we select the appropriate stencil from our various options, which is impregnated with a special mixture of colors.
With a confident and precise gesture, the stencil is pressed onto the fabric, transferring the design with a delicacy and precision that only years of practice can ensure.
Each piece of velvet thus becomes unique, a combination of manual skill and creativity.
Where to find us
Our workshop, located in the heart of Venice's historic center (Calle del Frutarol, 1854-1854/A), overlooks Campo San Fantin, in the district of San Marco, a short distance from the renowned Piazza San Marco and just a few steps from the majestic Teatro La Fenice.
Crossing its threshold is like being transported back in time, into an atmosphere steeped in Venetian history and charm. The winding alleys, bustling daily life, and centuries-old architecture surrounding our shop capture the very essence of this ancient city.
Small (taller visitors beware of your head!) but welcoming, with exposed ancient wooden beams and a characteristic scent of leather in the air, our workshop is divided into two areas: one dedicated to the sale of our handmade products, the other to the visible public workshop (a chaos of materials and colors, but authentic because of it), where we dedicate ourselves to creating notebooks, agendas, frames, photo albums, sketch pads, document holders, and much more in marbled paper, genuine leather, or hand-printed velvet.
Here, within the walls of our workshop, the air of ancient times is palpable, while the sound of our artisanal activities and the scent of natural materials envelop us in a world of creativity and craftsmanship.