New Italian Cocktail Glasses from Zafferano

Robert and I love discovering new European products. We found some unique and elegant Italian purses, ceramics and glassware on our recent buying trips this past year. 

A new addition to the shop are several colorful cocktail glasses from the well-known Italian glass manufacturer, Zafferano, which now grace our shelves. Bright, cheerful and ready for a warm spring/summer party, these glasses are exceptionally sturdy and artistically produced. We fell in love with their sparkle and vivid color.

Federico de Majo is the artist of these vibrant creations.  He was raised in his family's vetreria on the isle of Murano. Federico was immersed in the beauty and craft of the glass blower's art and soon became the factory's in-house designer. He left the family business in the 1980's, but has continued his work designing hand-blown and artistic glassware.

 Frederico de Majo

His  enjoyment of good wine led him to set up a company dedicated to the design and production of tasting glasses. Glasses of the Zafferano collection are mouth blown and hand crafted by skilled workers using age-old techniques.  Every item turned out by this craft-based method is unique. No two pieces are exactly alike.

There are many colors in this glass line, and our cocktail collection is sold in six assorted hues: aquamarine, orange, amethyst, hunter green, cobalt blue and yellow. These beautiful glasses are now on our website! Of course you can also visit our lovely shop and gallery to see them up close and personal! 

 

Provence Platters: Oak Wine Barrel Trays

UPDATE: July, 2014 -- NOTE FROM JOANIE BALLARD: 

We currently only carry One-of-a-Kind Vintage Provence Wine Barrel Trays, and they are in limited supply throughout the year.  Price ranges for vintage platters with hand wrought iron handles are between $425. - $550., depending on style and rarity.

If you are interested in purchasing one of the vintage style wine barrel trays please call our shop.  We do not sell them on our website. Due to the size and weight of each tray shipping charges will apply. We are open every day, 10am - 6pm / 540-675-1411 /

We just received a shipment of stunning, handmade trays. These trays are cut from reclaimed American and French Oak wood wine barrels. Artisans disassemble the steam-bowed oak ribs and cambered end pieces which also bear the original cooper's brand.  Surfaces are smoothed and finished with copious layers of food-safe, organic beeswax. They are then fitted with hand forged iron handles in Brooklyn, NY.

Each item is one-of-a-kind so sizes will vary. The round platters range in size from 23" - 24" inches, the small Vintage Serving Tray is 20" inches, and the long Australian Fruit Bowl is a generous 39" in length.

I was so excited to get them out onto the shop floor! Below is a closeup detail of one of the vintage trays with the original Australian cooper's mark.

And here is the vintage tray in a shop display where I integrated our Italian Ceramic dinnerware and a giant wine bottle drying rack.

 

It's a fascinating process how these lovely pieces are produced.  Coopers hew American and French oak and stack it in the open air, continuously dampening and curing it for years before handcrafting the planks into oak wine casks. Wine typically ages in the barrel for four years, receiving the oak’s distinctive flavor.

When the oak's flavor diminishes the barrel heads are reclaimed, running the coopers's craft in reverse. Artisans breathe a second, artful life into the casks, disassembling the clever puzzle of steambowed ribs and cambered end pieces. Most of the cambered end pieces have a burnished red patina on one side.

All trays bear authentic cooper's marks and many of them are more than thirty years old. All surfaces are smoothed and finished with organic beeswax and we offer a free jar of their signature beeswax with each purchase (a $25.00 value).

French Oak Wine Barrel Tray

The end  result is a beautiful platter for wine and cheese, grapes, fine meats and bread, or even for serving wine or cocktails.

Here are a few detailed images of some the trays and platters we now have in the shop. This particular one displays beautiful Italian cocktail glasses. A Lazy Susan is attached to the bottom so the tray revolves.

American Oak Barrel Tray with original cooper's mark

Vintage Round Tray with Australian cooper's mark

Vintage Serving Tray

Hand forged feet on the backside of the small vintage serving tray

Large Australian Barrel Stave Fruit Bowl

Hand forged iron feet on backside of Australian Barrel Stave Fruit Bowl

I would love to hear how would you use one of these beautiful items in your home. They are beautiful enough to be hung on a wall and enjoyed as a work of art, and then later put to use with a delicious tapas arrangement at your next soiree. Let me know your thoughts and take a peek at our website to get even more ideas!