5 1/2″ Plastic Aldetta of Venice & Beatrice of Florence (with Rooster). The dolls are from Treasures of Italy Collection . I purchased the dolls in 2009 from a seller in Pasadena, Maryland.
Beatrice from Florence came with a letter which stated the following:
“Firenze, Italia
Buon giorno mia amica:
This means “Good day my friend,” or as you would say, “Hello”. In case you did not recognize the Italian spelling of our famous city I also gave you the English spelling. My name is Beatrice, spelled just as you spell in America. Here we pronounce it Be-a-treech-a.
My father’s is a goldsmith with a shop on the famous Ponte Vecchio (Old Bridge) which crosses the River Arno. This is the bridge so many people photograph. It has so many shops and stores on it that you hardly know it is a bridge when you cross over. Near my father’s shop are the famous Art Galleries Palazzo Pitti and the Uffizi Gallery, where you can see paintings and sculptures by Michelangelo, Botticelli, Leonardo da Vinci and other artists who made our city famous.
If you could visit us and ride to the top of the hill of Fiesole you could see how snugly our city nestles in the valley of the Arno River. In Fiesole there are many terraced hillside where grapes are grown and in the spring and summer the flowers are in full array. Most visitors see our famous cathedrals and the tombs of the Medici, the ancient family who ruler our city for so many years. Most of all, I like the football math which we have every year to which we all wear festive 16th Century costumes like the one I am wearing now.
Our city is also well known for our leather and for our woven straw pocketbooks, ladies hats and shoes. The visitors from your country also like our hand embroidered blouses and lingerie.
We also have beautiful wide streets in many parts of Florence and I always like to watch the waters splash in our sparkling Verrocchio Fountain as we walk through the tree-shaded Piazza.
My Mama and Papa have told me many things about your country and we studied in scuola (school) about America too. I think I will be very happy in my new home with you.
Tanti baci (many kisses)
Beatrice from Florence”
Aldetta of Venice came with the following letter:
“Venezia, Italia
Mia nuova amica Americanna:
My name is Aldetta, pronounced just as it looks. My family lives on a street just behind Basilica San Marco (Saint Marks Cathedral). This is the heart of our city where the Grand Canal flows. In our part of the city we have small narrow streets, but no automobiles and if we travel far we have to take a ferry boat or a gondola. I love Piazza di San Marco (the square near the church) because every day we used to watch the hundreds of pigeons there. They are very happy because all the tourist visitors feed them well. Our city is built on 118 different islands which is why we have so many canals.
On the island of Murano are all the factories where our renowned glass blowers work making the famous Venetian glass. On the Burano is our lace industry. Best of all I liked the Lido in the summer. This is our famous bathing and resort area. To get there we have to take a steamboat about 15 minutes from my home.
In September we have the celebration of the Grand Canal Regata. My Mama always lets me wear my holiday dress like I am wearing to visit you now. I always wear my black shawl because of the cool winds which blow off our watery streets.
I look forward to seeing your fire engine in America. In Venice we have only fire boats, which drive through our canals.
Won’t you please tell me about your home and friends, as I want to learn all about you so that we may be good friends.
5 1/2″ Plastic Aldetta of Venice & Beatrice of Florence (with Rooster). The dolls are from Treasures of Italy Collection . I purchased the dolls in 2009 from a seller in Pasadena, Maryland.