Italian craftsmanship is one of the pulsating hearts of our tradition, a history of great care of materials, great manuality and inventiveness and respect for every stage of the manufacturing process. It is a clear example of the medieval metallurgical art of the High Molise, which is rooted in the Sannitian culture, and reaches its highest expression in the manufacture of bells, one of the oldest in the world.
A procession that still takes place in full respect of the original techniques: the wood bands coming from the nearby forests, the fireplaces, the ever-wooded bells of all sizes for mold making, the burning furnaces, the workers who, in an unremitting activity, chase, chisel and chisel specimens that have come out of the fusion after cooling, and that once they finish they will take the destinations of all five continents.
A manufacturing excellence that does not leave indifferent overseas: in the past, Molise bells will also be present in countries such as Indonesia, Myanmar and Thailand. Antonio Delli Quadri, a bellman master of three generations, today 80 years, chief of the Pontifical Foundry Marinelli, the oldest in the world and even recognized as a “heritage of humanity” by UNESCO, says:
“Our bells go around the world. Relations with Myanmar arise from the fact that a short time ago our museum, where the entire millennial history of the company is told and exposed, was visited by a character who discovered we were an Indonesian minister. From there, contacts have been born so that our bells will also be provided to Christian missions in those countries. “
“We are honored to keep the same techniques as ever, when there was no electricity, because this is our ‘trademark’ ” – he adds. “The changes are marginal. No longer used, for example, the horse dung for amalgam of clays, with its special features, replaced by other materials and refractory materials. But the processing complex remains the one thousand years ago.”
A history of tradition and exchange that is good for our economy and our manufacturing culture, which has always been appreciated all over the world, and which is now experiencing a period of intense.
