At this year’s D&D Building Spring Market, five artisans gave a behind-the-scenes look into how their products are crafted. The Rosselli Market Square, hosted by John Rosselli & Associates, showcased meticulous traditional craftsmanship from decorative hand painting and ceramic decoration to woodcarving.
Meet the artisans below:
John Rosselli Antiques
Over fifty years ago, John Rosselli opened his first antiques shop in New York City. He quickly created a destination for interior designers and architects who came to rely on John’s sophisticated eye and the shop’s ever-changing inventory of antiques and furnishings.
In 1980 John began creating reproductions of antique accessories, lighting, and occasional furniture. Painted finishes, exacting detail, and the ability to customize quickly established the Rosselli workroom as an important resource for the interior design community.
Today, in the D&D Building, John Rosselli continues its traditions of bringing new and exciting products to the design community.
Roy Hamilton Studios
With over forty years of experience, Roy Hamilton is known for his intricately detailed ceramic pieces. Instead of traditional glazing, Hamilton applies colored slip, a watered-down form of clay that has been tinted with mineral oxides such as cobalt and iron, to create his signature pale-hued bodies. Hamilton then covers this ground with his distinctive decoration. To apply his soft-edged geometric patterns, Hamilton uses a technique called slip-trailing in which the slip is piped on to the vessel with a small rubber syringe, seen above.
Hamilton has produced designs for leading manufacturers and retailers, and now in his studio in New York, he painstakingly hand-creates vases and lamp bases, large scale bowls, display chargers and cachepots.
Keith Fritz Fine Furniture
The son of a carpenter, Keith Fritz’s passion for furniture blossomed early. He and his team of artisans offer a luxurious collection of classically modern handcrafted furniture. His pieces provide a clean, elegant aesthetic based on the best of 18th-, 19th-, and 20th-century furniture design. The natural beauty of rare wood is amplified by meticulously hand rubbed finishes, which give the pieces a warm, sensual glow. Very rarely are two identical pieces of furniture ever created, as Keith works closely with each designer to create a unique and timeless product.
O. Henry House
O. Henry House, a family owned and operated business, has been building beautiful handcrafted upholstery for over 30 years. Dedicated to old-world style techniques, the brand offers designers and architects an extensive line of more than 250 pieces, as well as custom craftsmanship and upholstery. With careful attention to detail, O. Henry House ensures furniture that is not only durable, but comfortable.
Iatesta Studio
Iatesta Studio specializes in designing and creating finely handcrafted furniture, accessories, and lighting that can be customized for any interior. With wood, metal, upholstery, and finish studios in-house, the company boasts a full-service experience for clients, from designing to manufacturing pieces. Their designs borrow elements from 18th- and 19th-century European and American heirlooms and fashion them for today’s interiors. Following the tradition of old-world craftsmen, the Iatesta artisans hand-apply distinctive finishes in multiple layers to give each piece a deeply resonating luster of a fine antique.
Photos via Kitty Dadi.
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