Il Girasole...an Etruscan Gift Shop Cortona, etruscan jewelry,  etruscans, tuscany, museum reproductions,, toscana, italia, italy, exact replicas, gold electroplating,  18karats custom, etruscan gift shop, italian jewelry, Frances Mayes, artcrafts, handmade, artisan, fine work, Alessandra Federici.

The jewellery

NEW!!!    Join Alessandra in her fun cooking classes - scroll down!

The ancient art of Etruscan jewelery and Tuscan artcrafts now avalaible on the net!!!


The catalog
As you probably know, The mysterious Etruscans, a mix of indigene and immigrant population from middle eastern countries, were a civilization that lived and prospered in central Italy for 900 years about 3000 years ago, between the X Cen and the I Cen BC.  In that “short” historical time, they managed to become masters in many fields. Medicine, architecture, social life and art. They left us  priceless art pieces in ceramic, bronze and in Gold and precious stones.

ll Girasole
was founded in 1989 by Alessandra Federici who personally searches for and inspects artisans'   workshops (small and large) throughout Tuscany to find the best hand-made, authentic art craft to sell in her quaint shop. 


Bronze kitchen complements

Il Girasole is located in the historic centre of Cortona, the Ancient Etruscan town that has become famous worldwide as the city featured in Frances Mayes' books -and Disney movie-"Under The Tuscan Sun", "Bella Tuscany" and "In Tuscany".


Alessandra  will introduce you to a premiere selection of accurate reproductions of rare pieces of Etruscan jewellery and various items , as linens, bronze and ceramic pieces and much more, which with no exceptions, are made in Tuscany. 


NEW !!!!
New linens pages
 
NEW DESIGNS
NEW COLORS!


Most of the jewellery design's, bronze and terracotta reproductions are exact copies from local museum and museums from all the world or art history books. Each piece has its own story,  legend, and meaning.

Alessandra has few rules that she likes to follow about her store:

  • She must know personally every maker -and she does.
  • All items have to be done in Italy -and not only, Alessandra buys with an 200Km policy. Everything she has in her shop is done in a radius of not more than 200Km from Cortona.
  • If she doesn't take them at home, she won't sell them in the store



Cortona
The ancient city of Etruscan art and architecture
!
The jewels are made with Silver 925 (92.5% Ag) electroplated in gold, guaranteed non-allergenic since they do not contain any nickel, with semi-precious stones such as cornelian, lapis, agate and precious Murano glass. Each of these items can be custom-made in solid 18K gold and now also in White Gold. 
These jewels are made near Anghiari,  35Km from Cortona.


The Linens are made in a small place between Cortona and Siena, Torrita di Siena, about 40Km away.

The Bronzes are done in Volterra, 182Km from Cortona.

The bronze kitchen ware is made in Subbiano, about 35Km from Cortona

Come visit us in Cortona or take advantage of the opportunity to buy the best Etruscan jewellery and the best Tuscan art craft directly via the Internet.   



Browse our cooking pages
 1   2   3

Alessandra can't rest, we know that, and the shop, the house, the children and all her life is not enough busy for her, so, she has been convinced by her best friend Tania to give out cooking classes, check out with us dates and availability, and find a new, unusual way to understand what cooking really means for Italians and walk in a real Italian kitchen.

So you want to finally use that pasta machine that you were actually contemplating to sell in the next yard sale? Want to make the best tagliatelle? Curious about ravioli? You finally want to know the secrets of risotto?

send us an e-mail and ask any question you want. Alessandra will gladly answer all your curiosities!

 I hope that you'll enjoy this site as much as we do, and if you have any suggestions, any questions or anything else that you think we should know, please send us an e-mail.

  
  Booking for 2012 has opened!  Join in!!!


BOOKING FOR YEAR 2011 IS OPEN.
ASK IF YOUR DATE OF CHOICE IS AVAILABLE.

E-MAIL HERE!

It is possible to book other dates than the one listed, we are open to booking whenever you want  so, no fear, ASK!

There is limited availability on  the following cooking classes:

Date Places left
Jan 3rd 4 spaces
March 27 2 spaces
May 3 4 spaces
June 23 2 spaces
   
   
 
Other dates are available upon request, Ask!
 
 

I will update the schedule every time another class is added


Immagine soluzioni

Il Girasole...an Etruscan gift shop
Via Casali , 2-4
52044  Cortona, Italy
Tel-Fax +39 (0575) 601616

US Fax users 1(212)504-8212

 Il Girasole© Copyright  1999-2009
by Alessandra Federici

alexf@il-girasole.com