History

In 1966 the company “Chiesa Mario” started its activity thanks to the work of Mario Chiesa (1917-2006), the headquarter was established in via Morosetti 38 and today it’s still there and the lab works using the trademark 1447AL. Giovanni Chiesa, the founder’s father, was the first member of the family who practiced goldsmithery starting his apprenticeship as a child at the beginning of the 20th century.

In 1947 Mario Chiesa joined in society with Bernardo Legnani, they collaborated for almost twenty years using the trademark 180AL. During this period, the goldsmith Chiesa - who was passionate about cycling - made a medal depicting the caricature of Fausto Coppi. “Il Campionissimo'' appreciated it so much and he wanted to know the creator. The new company “Chiesa Mario'' worked at the beginning for the firm Rota Costantino e figlio (which was one of the members of the brand PARM). For that company, the Mario Chiesa made an item composed of three roses, one in yellow gold, one in withe gold and one in red gold. This precious artifact was on display at the Milano Fair obtaining a huge success. From these three roses, a broach was made and it became very famous because Barbara Straisand wore it in front of an audience. The company found its custode among wholesalers of the field, usually from Valenza and Milan, but it also worked for some International brands making rings, bracelets, broaches, charms, accessories (keychain, money clip, cufflinks) and sometimes objects of sacred arts commissioned by people in areas of worship in Italy. So the Chiesa family was in the third generation of goldsmithing with Gian Piero, Fausto and Silvana (Mario’s sons) and today with Stefano (Gian Piero’s son) as the fourth consecutive generation working in goldsmithery. At the same time the Chiesa Mario company is going on in its tradition of craftsmanship especially producing accessories with a specific attention to the ones made for male audiences. Its typical processing is modeling by hand or by CAD, turning, coining, pressing, engraving, setting, enameling and miniature. In 2001 the company received the acknowledgement “Eccellenza Artigiana” and in 2010 it was awarded with “Sant’Eligio” prize.

 

Archive

Chiesa Mario sas archive is composed of several materials collected from 1966 when the company was founded and few previous documents. The records are heterogeneous including both papery documents and several machineries and tools. All the stuff still in use in the workshop has been arranged according to the use. Metal moulds series is equipped with inventory with images.

The main series are:

Moulds – prototypes in base metal, around 1000 pieces, starting from the beginning of the 20th century

Rubber moulds, around 1000 pieces, 1966-2016

Metal moulds, around 900 pieces, 1966-2016

Iron shear, around 400 pieces, 1966-2016

Technical catalogues, 20 records, 1966-2016

Photographs, three folders, 1966-2016

Drawings, 10 folders, 1966-2016

Machineries, around 50 (manuals, starting from the ‘50s, CNC, pantographs, rolling mills, drills with dividers, furnaces, machineries for guilloché, riveting tools, threading, milling machine, balers, shears, barbells, sharpening machines, laser welders).

A papery index regarding metal moulds and its images exists.

 

Sources

L. Lenti, Gioielli e gioiellieri di Valenza, Arte e storia 1825-1975, Allemandi, Turin 1994, pages 416; 430 and illustration 767.