5 1/2″ Plastic Fiammetta from Pisa & Violetta from San Remo. The dolls are from the Treasures of Italy Collection and manufactured in Florence, Italy. I purchased the dolls in 2009 from a seller in Pasadena, Maryland.
Fiammetta from Pisa came with the following letter:
“Pisa, Italy
Retta Treanor
Buon Giorna Cara Amica: (Good Day, Dear Friend)
This is the way we say hello to our good friends in Pisa. My name is Fiammetta, pronounced Fee-ah-metta. I don’t think you have names like this in your country.
My trip from Pisa to you was very long. From Pisa I went by train to Genoa where we went on board a fast passenger ship sailing to New York City.
I am sure you have heard of the leaning Tower of Pisa. This was built as a bell tower but because the ground under neath it was soft, it started to lean just a little more each year. Our government has had to pour concrete under it to keep it from falling over. Once our class in scuola (school) climbed all the way to the top and when we looked out it felt as though we would all fall off. From the tower we could see the walls of the old city and even all way to the beaches of Marina de Pisa and Tirrenia on the sea 7 miles away. That is where our father takes us to swim on a hot summer days.
Once my father took us to Volterra in the Province of Pisa. There we visited the alabaster mines where the men cut large blocks of stone from the ground. Then we watched the stones being shaped into all kinds of small statues, ash trays and powder boxes. Finally they are polished to bring out their full color. We got a pair of book ends completely carved by hand with differently colors of inlaid alabaster. The dust from the carving and grinding makes everything as white as chalk.
My favorite days in Pisa were when our people re-enacted the”Gioco del Ponte” (contest on the bridge) before which we had a procession and ceremony and again when we celebrated the Regata of St. Ranieri, Pisa’s Patron Saint. On both of these days we wore the provincial costume such as I wear now. We are very proud of our embroidered aprons. My mother made mine by hand.
But now I should let you tell me of your other dolls from other Italian cities. It is so nice to be a part of your family and I will be very happy.
Tanti abbracci, (Many hugs)
Fiammetta from Pisa”
And
Violetta from San Remo came with the following letter:
“San Remo, Italy
Retta Treanor
Cara Amica:
Yes, I call you “Dear Friend”, as I have been writing all this long trip from San Remo to see you. My name is Violette, pronounced Vee-o-letta. In your country you would just call me Violet, so you see our names are very much like yours.
The city of San Remo is known throughout the world as a Holiday center on the Italian Riviera. From the nearby port cities of Imperia and Genoa,is shipped the most important product from our part of Italy–olive oil. Everywhere we see many visitors from all over Europe and even America. They live in our large Hotels and visit our famous Casino and our Opera performances and concerts. Of course most of the visitors spend much of their time on our gleaming sandy beach. My mother always told me that everybody would know I was not an American when I went to the beach. I went there every day and my skin was very brown. You could always tell the Americans because they almost always had very red sunburned skins.
We have a very warm climate in San Remo because there are mountains just to the north parallel with the coast, defending it from the cold northern winds. In the winter our climate is mild and in the summer we have cool sea breezes.
My father works in a shipyard making fishing boats and sometimes even racing boats. Whenever I went there to walk home with him in the evening I dreamed of sailing across the blue Mediterranean, and at last my dreams have come true.
But I think, basta (enough) about me. Please introduce me to your other dolls so that I may be a happy new member of your family.
Tanti Baci, (many kisses)
Violetta from San Remo”