Typical Ossola Valley craftsmanship is historically linked to the resources of this land nestled in the Lepontine Alps: wood, stone and precious metals. This journey among small producers and authentic traditions, handed down from generation to generation, now results in objects of daily use and unique, extraordinarily beautiful pieces.
- WOOD AND GLASS
There are many artisan businesses in Ossola Valley that still work with wood, which is turned or sculpted by the skillful hands of local artists: while famous wooden Pinocchios are the symbol of the nearby Valle Strona, not far from Lake Orta, there are also notable Ossolan companies that reproduce tools that were commonly used in times gone by. There are still a few master woodworkers left, some of whom teach popular courses every year in Vigezzo Valley in which this highly important art is handed down.
There are also small ateliers in Ossola Valley that create artistic stained glass for churches and buildings of worship, as well as special creations made of glass and wrought iron.
- CERAMICS
Ceramics are also an important part of Ossolan craftsmanship: in the 19th century, at the kiln of Premia, in Antigorio Valley, clay extracted from the Alfenza river was worked to create majolica tiles inspired by the work of ancient potters from Cunardo and Campione d’Italia. Inspired by this tradition, contemporary Ossolan ceramics are produced by small artisan companies and appreciated for their unique style, characterized by a Baroque cartouche and ornate blue and brown flowers.
- GOLD
Ossola Valley was, especially between the 18th and 19th centuries, a land of gold: there were several mines in the Ossola valleys, particularly in Anzasca Valley, where the precious metal was extracted and then processed in mercury mills.
Although the mines are no longer in operation (one mine, the gold mine in Guia just outside Macugnaga in Valle Anzasca, can be visited as the only mine-museum in Italy), there are still artisan workshops active today that produce jewellery that is finally crafted with a chisel and template. The most typical gold jewel is certainly the fede ossolana (Ossolan wedding ring), a reproduction of an 18th-century Ossolan ring decorated with edelweiss, mountain flowers and ears of wheat.
