Petruzzi & Branca, 1BS brand
High-silverware from Brescia since 1771
Not many are the situations in Italy of companies that can actually boast stories of achievements and excellence like Petruzzi & Branca, Antique Awarded Silverware Factory, born in Brescia in 1771 and turned to be throughout the years a proper symbol of the made in Italy worldwide. Evidence of this is the fact that a great number of politics and Star System personalities choose the creations of the maison. These are made special thanks to specific production methods and to the use of original tools belonging to old silver masters. The creations are based on a deep study of ancient patterns, of peculiarities and refinements, and on the client’s requests as well as on the environment that will be home of the item.
To underline the tight connection with the fine taste of the past, the Petruzzi & Branca collection presents four different styles, each of which features a little detail that is constantly repeated in the pieces, conferring authenticity, differentiating them and meeting the needs, more and more refined, of silverware collectors and lovers. The Regina Anna style is refined and unusual, loved by experts; the Impero style is on the other hand a flirt for classical and traditional tastes; the France style gathers some of the most renowned French styles such as the Louis XV Rococo’ and the Louis Philip Napoletano.
Luxury items originated out of a long history of researches so to have now creations that can fit even the most modern environments of particular locations like the yachts.
The Managing Director of the company, Antonio Cesare Petruzzi, traced back, with Luxgallery, the entire history of the company and the strategies of the brand: “Our family carried on this profession for six generations. The company was founded at the end of the eighteenth century thanks to a progenitor of mine, Luigi Petruzzi. Back then the company was specialized in the production of holy art and of silver chainware. Throughout the years the production turned to tableware, chandeliers and trays. In 1871 it receives a honourable mention by King of Italy Vittorio Emanuele III. Today Petruzzi boats a production line of high-silverware, entirely hand-made in four different styles. We particularly specialize on the Regina Anna style”.
Where does the brand 1BS come from?
In the twenties of the nineteen hundred a law came into force regarding the use of punches and marks. Thanks to the seniority of the company, we were assigned the brand 1BS that we still use: the first company in Brescia to have a mark. Nowadays not many are the companies in Italy that can boast a mark carrying the number 1. Moreover, from 1927 to 1957 the Petruzzi & Branca was the official provider of the Mille Miglia. Still today we provide cups for the competition, cups that are manufactures exactly as they were manufactured a century ago. Our production is entirely artisan-like and made in Italy, in 925 silver. Each piece is generally produced in very limited editions.
Which are the most significant items of your collection?
We have a group of items that we define best sellers, like the five flames, jointed Impero chandelier, decorated with characteristic palm leaves, or the Queen Anne oil cruet that is also the image that represents us: we are the only ones to produce items of this kind. Even cutlery is very particular: it’s manufactured with tools dating back to the beginning of the last century. Cutlery is equal in weight, breadth and refinements to the antique one.
Do you have any good stories to share?
About ten years ago, the famous singer Tina Turner visited our Cologne store and purchased the entire collection of the Petruzzi & Branca silverware. We are now dealing with a few budget plans for an important 80 metres boat and we are setting up a private plane.
How to face the financial crisis and what are the strategies that you hold on to?
Our mission is to work within a high-level niche. We try to face the crisis by constantly creating new contacts at the highest levels of this niche, so to overcome these difficult times. The rising countries can now be particularly interesting to deal with. We are landing to China: we were selected as a top-level made in Italy company and we’ll be present at a high-level showroom in Beijing. We are also bringing about some changes in distribution. So far we have aimed at being present in jewelleries, but we are now considering entering the luxury world in a more transversal way: we created specialized divisions that now collaborate with the nautical and trophies’ sectors. In fact, we are now manufacturing the biggest cup of the world that is likely to enter the Guinness records’ book. It’s created for the Mille Miglia, 1.70 metre high and it’ll be written with the history of the competition.
Could you cite some of your most famous clients?
The company, since the very beginning of the twentieth century has top-level clients: the Savoys, King Faruq of Egypt, King Idris of Libya. Throughout the time a great number of political personalities counted on us, from Paola of Liege to the Shah of Persia. We have also worked for the boat of Kashoggi. During the 1992 G7 a coffee set of ours was chosen for the meetings of State Heads. Last year we created one thousand pieces of cutlery for the Belarus’ president Lukashenko.
Caterina Varpi
Fashion, Home Decor And Design, Jewellery, Living, People And Brand, Stories Of Achievements,
Tags: Brescia, made in Italy, Petruzzi & Branca, silverware
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