20 - North Shove News — Wednesday, June 28, 2000

ivinaroom

RADIAN EES LMI LS REIN I

in search of Old Wort

New boutique imports
Italian handcrafts

Layne Christensen

_Living Room Editor
. LESS than 24 hours before the cock-

tail reception celebrating its opening, —
- La Bottega del Mediterraneo is

“bustling with activity.

Outside of the new Yaletown home acces-

. Sories boutique, workmen are installing the store

- yawning. inside, the air is heavy with the scent of

__. Italian mountain beeswax, used to seal floortiles

“.- haridmade in Porto San Giorgio by fifth genera-

tion tilemaker Domenico Mon, who has flown in
specially for the boutique’s opening.

“The contents of a container shipped direct

from fealy clutter the floor. Handcrafted luxury

— ceramics, tapestry cushion covers, pil-

ar. candles and blown-glass goblets — share

space with ornate chandeliers and other store fix-

res: Another container, packed with antique

display: rabies and smaller luxury goods such as

handmade soaps, has been held up at customs.,

Anda good thing, too...

forward ‘to: last Thursday’ 's opening

igh a noceit y members, of the media and

c ty industry. -La Bottega has °

Tin. sO ght thar there.just wouldn’t

39m for the. additional goods, laughs

~ Deruta, handcrafted b

NEWS photo Julie tverson

INSPIRED by -an Etruscan original, a
Brandimarte Argento bowl features
glass “bubbles” encased in silver.

started throwing out ideas for a joint business
venture.

“We sat around and started to play with
ideas,” says Kingsmill. The two noticed a dearth
of handcrafted items for the home and landed on
the concept for La Bottega del Mediterranco.
“We both thought Vancouver needed something
different — everything was the same here.”

. Mass production had taken over. Kingsmill
and Strilive sensed home owners were craving
Old World craftsmanship and charm. They ral-
lied a dozen investors and set about opening La
Bottega del Mediterraneo.

The boutique, located at the corner of Davie
‘and Hamilton streets in Vancouver’s Yaletown
district, sells artisans’ wares imported from Italy.

“These include ceramics from -L’Antica
y members of the Moretti

in Deruta, a
of Traly that is famous for-its painted ceramics
ting back to the 13th century.

L’Antica Deruta: ceramics . are authentic
: feproductions of Renaissance shapes, colours

‘and designs, says Kingsmill, holding aloft a flask

and admiring its design. Prices start at $150 for

a wine. decanter and run to $1,500 for a | small

illage in the Umbria region ~

LANTICA Deruta pottery is intricately handpainted by artisans using trad
- techniques that were first developed in the 14th century. :

table. Each ceramic: is inspired by an original
antique piece and comes with a ‘certificate of
‘authenticity. Each is numbered and signed. -
|» Like most everything sold at La Boitega del

Mediterranco, the ceramics reflect centuries old S

traditions and are available exclusively in Canada
at the boutique. Says Kingsmill: “We wanted to
bring to Vancouver the traditions and antiguities
of Europe. Some of the factories we buy from
don’t have a machine in sight. Everything is done
by hand.”
The boutique also ‘stocks ‘ Brandimarte

Argento, an exclusive line of silver objects for the -
home created in the °S0s by Italian -artist |

’ Brandimarte Guscelli. Son Stefano and daughter

intends:

Giada have carried on the: tradition ‘since: th
father’s death in 1996. Most. distinctive are’ th

wages and bowls that feature: Murano glass “bub

bles” encased jin silver: The price for these. heir
loom-quality objects can run as: high as'$1,600.-
for'a large vase formed fiom molten glass
mouth blown into silver casing. Only fwo oi

2 every 10 vases survive production.

“Thar’s the kind of crafismanshi and ‘qualtty:
were | looking ~ for,” ?Kingsmill,:: wh
to" while th ig i