Arts and crafts from South Tyrol

The history of lacemaking in South Tyrol began in 1893 in the Ahrntal valley with the shutdown of the copper mine in Prettau/Predoi. Women turned lacemaking in their profession to restore the economy. With the help of the village priest and support from wealthy mine owners, three talented lace makers were sent to Vienna to be trained. In 1894, a bobbin lace school was founded in Prettau, where craft was passed on to the women in the valley. Soon the imperial and royal society became one of the regular customers of the resourceful valley of  lace makers, the Ahrntal.

After the First World War had separated South Tyrol from Austria and thus from Bohemia as a supplier of raw materials, it was not until the 1930s that lace-making was resumed, now with Milanese thread. 

Whereas, in the past, this elaborate manual work was mostly just a sideline for farmers and saddlers, today it is a recognised profession with a five-year apprenticeship. Nowadays, in South Tyrol, it is cultivated by half a dozen craftsmen. The centre for peacock-quill embroidery is the Sarntal valley, north of Bolzano/Bozen. The white feather shafts come from the tail feathers of the male peacock. These are split and partially coloured. These narrow, shiny stripes are then embroidered on (usually black) leather following a pattern. In addition to traditional ornamentation, popular motifs are monograms, coats of arms and name prints on traditional costume pieces, wallets and handbags. 

The Tyrolean, black-brown mountain sheep, and Villnöss sheep supply a prestigious wool. How is their wool obtained? Washed, combed, and spun into a thread it is then knitted or weaved. In felting, the wool hairs are treated with warm water and soap, then joined together by the mechanical pressure from fulling to form a solid fabric, like the well-known loden fabric, which is first woven and only then rolled. The loden coat is paired with the ‘Sarner Jangger’, a traditional jacket from the Sarntal valley, which is knitted very tightly and thus keeps you particularly warm. Its characteristic features are its brightly coloured hem and deer antler buttons.

People wearing the South Tyrolean traditional Tracht clothing also have matching feast day shoes. These are still made through many individual steps exclusively by hand. Each valley has its own traditional design, which is still followed today according to the old patterns. Whether embroidered using quills, edged with a red velvet border or with coloured shoe laces: the shoes to match the traditional Tracht clothing are worn and cared for with pride. South Tyrol's shoemakers are just as busy repairing hiking, mountaineering and climbing boots as they are formaking traditional shoes. Due to South Tyroleans' sporty lifestyle, shoes are well worn – and therefore repaired and reused after wear and tear. 

Once heated to a high temperature, wrought iron or bronze glows with heat. By then it can be shaped with heavy or very light blows. The same goes for brass or copper, though these materials can also be wrought when cool. Using hammer and anvil, artisan blacksmiths produce decorative and artistically designed articles for daily use, largely according to their own designs. As a result, wrought ironwork can be seen on almost every building in South Tyrol. Sophisticated gates, eclectic balcony and stair railings, decorative objects, grilles or special lighting fixtures adorn churches, forts and castles.

It's not surprising that the Bindergasse in Bolzano/Bozen bears this name: South Tyrol's binderies used to be located here, and there were quite a few. After goods were mainly transported in barrels in the early 20th century, the sustainable upswing in South Tyrolean wine-growing from 1980 onwards meant that barrel makers received plenty of orders. The vinification of wines by site, the reduction of yields in favour of quality and the introduction of modern methods provided a considerable boost to the quality of wine – and handmade oak barrels are still preferred to industrial barrels.