Postcards are on sale
everywhere, though the fund
of images isn't as
imaginative as it could be.
Just inside the Basilica di
San Marco there's a stall
selling a vast spread of
good quality cards of the
church and its mosaics, and
many of the city's other
churches offer a small range
of good cards. Venice's
museums are a letdown,
usually offering a choice of
a bare half-dozen - the
stalls outside the Accademia
have a better selection of
the gallery's paintings than
you'll find in the gallery
itself. For something a
little more unusual, such as
mug-shots of famous doges or
ancient views of the city,
try Filippi Editore (see
"Books"). For
reprints of old
topographical engravings of
Venice at very moderate
prices, visit the Armenian
island of
San Lazzaro.
Most of the decorative paper
on sale in Venice comes from
Florence or is affiliated to
or inspired by Florentine
producers, but is none the
worse for that. Shops
selling these marbled
papers, notebooks and so
forth are all over the city;
more idiosyncratic stuff is
sold at the following
places.
Alberto Valese ,
Calle del Teatro 1920, San
Marco. Valese not only
produces the most luscious
marbled papers in Venice,
but also transfers the
designs onto silk scarves
and a variety of ornaments;
the marbling technique he
uses is a Turkish process
called ebrū - hence
the alternative name of his
shop.
Legatoria Piazzesi
, Campiello della Feltrina
2511, San Marco. Located
near S. Maria Zobenigo, this
long-established
paper-producer uses the old
wooden-block method of
printing; stunning
hand-printed papers and
cards, and a nice line in
pocket diaries, too.
Linda Gonzalez ,
corner of Campiello San
Fantin and Calle Fruttarol.
Beautiful leather-bound
notebooks and albums.
Paolo Olbi , Calle
della Mandola 3653, San
Marco. The founder of this
shop was largely responsible
for the revival of paper
marbling; today it sells a
whole range of marbled
stationery. The nearby Il
Prato, at no. 3633, sells a
very similar line of goods.
Il Pavone ,
Salizzada San Samuele 3287.
Nice wooden-block printed
papers, folders and so on,
plus an interesting line in
personalized rubber stamps
and Ex Libris
bookplates.
Polliero , Campo
dei Frari 2995, San Polo. A
bookbinding workshop that
sells patterned paper as
well as heavy, leather-bound
albums of handmade plain
paper.
