Gianni Basso's 'Antica Stamperia', Venice

Gianni Basso's in his 'Antica Stamperia' which is both his workshop and a museum of his letterpress instruments collected over his lifetime.

Venice is still home to a thriving community of artisans.

In the labyrinthine depths of the Canareggio neighbourhood is Gianni Basso’s ‘Antica Stamperia’ (printing press workshop and shop).

When Gianni was a young man, his father sent him to work in an Armenian monastery to keep him on the ‘straight and narrow’. He spent the next 15 years mastering Gutenberg-era presses and learning how to be a printer.

When the monastery decided to modernise its business and switched to computers - “there is no art in it,” he tells me - he set up his own workshop faithful to 18th century techniques which he has been running for the last 30 odd years.

An old printing machine, probably 19th century

An early 20th century printer

A stamp of a pheasant and some type face

Over the years, he has acquired a huge collection of historical letterpresses, type faces and stamps which he enthusiastically shows me along with the various calling cards, invitations, and stationery he prints using them. His clients include wealthy Americans, aristocratic Europeans and even British royalty.

Various stamps used to create designs for invitations, calling cards, business cards and other stationary

A printing press machine

The names of some of Gianni’s clients and the designs they have used for their stationary

Surrounded by his wonderful machines, hand printed products and the written correspondence from his many clients from around the world he proudly tells me, “I don’t have a mobile or a computer but I still sell all around the world.”

After taking a few photographs, I purchase a card with a camel printed on it, I hope to see some on my journey eastward, and then I am on my way.

Gianni at one of his machines