Meet the Artisan: Lisi Brothers

Adriano, Lionello and Romano Lisi started their artisan silver workshop in Florence right after WWII with only “a homemade workbench, a few tools and a lot of need and innate talent.” It was difficult at first to compete with factory-made objects, so the three brothers decided to focus on crafting their own unique pieces, and experimenting with new ways of working metal that were impossible to recreate with machines.

The family’s techniques and creativity have been passed from generation to generation and today the Lisi workshop still manufactures entirely hand-made, exquisite pieces in pure 925/000 sterling silver. These home décor objects are veritable sculptures inspired by nature to create a magic world inhabited by animals and plants rendered with inimitable mastery and originality.​

Tell us the story of the company

The Lisi family has humble origins: at the end of WWII it counted ten people and the father was a baker. The oldest son, after briefly working at a silver atelier in Florence, decided to open his own workshop with his two youngest brothers. They started with classic objects, but almost immediately changed direction toward artistic sculptures. They invented their own personal production processes, they made their own special tools, and let their creativity and untamed talent guide them.​

​Could you describe your production process?

We start with an idea that can come also directly from the client. This idea is transferred on paper and sketched. It is just a scribble, not a detailed design, because otherwise we won’t enjoy the following stage: the creation of the piece during which the material itself will also react while it is worked. The rest come to life thanks to the skillful hands of the Lisi brothers and sisters. But I can’t say more: certain things should remain secret.

​Tell us about your products and what makes them special
​The ideas for our silver sculptures come from the observation of nature. Nature is what inspires us. We never merely copy it, but rather re-interpret flora and fauna with what we like to call “a touch of magic”: elements that surprise even the most careful observer. I call that magic, but I should really call it mastery.

​Who are the most important people in your company (now and in the past)?

In the past, the three brothers were the key people in the company. They would work together but in a sort of artistic autonomy, sometimes without even talking to each other. Now, their sons and daughters have picked up their artistic legacy and we all contribute with our work to carry on the same level of excellence under the same name.

​How does your surroundings influence your work?

​We carry within ourselves and our work a distinctive Florentine temperament that makes us sticklers for details but gives us that creative flair and originality that you find also in our pieces.

​How does your surroundings influence your work?

We carry within ourselves and our work a distinctive Florentine temperament that makes us sticklers for details but gives us that creative flair and originality that you find also in our pieces.

Are there special projects you are particularly proud of?

Even if we have worked and keep working with world-famous jewelry designers, those who know us trust us unconditionally and this trust has been built thanks to our hard work and the fact that we never lost our original traits and our individuality.​