Museum

The origin of the firm dates back to the
reign of Ferdinand II of Bourbon, when in
1855 Giovanni Ascione (1834-1908)
founded in his home town, Torre del Greco,
a coral factory producing finished
works from unrefined raw coral. The neat and
simple design of
early production takes

In that period the jewellery design
is suggested by the contemporary archeological discoveries
taking place in the close-by sites of Pompeii
and Herculaneum.
Soon the Ascione production distinguished itself
for the refinement receiving prestigious
awards at international exhibitions,
such as the gold medal in Oporto in 1865
and the bronze medal in Vienna at 1873
Universal Exhibition.

Also the composition “flowers,
fruits and leaves”
is highly typical of that period,
in compliance with the naturallistic style characterising the age.
The Manufacture enthusiastically
embraces these suggestions with a rich
and qualified production that will
characterize it for a while.

In 1875 “Ascione” became supplier
to the Royal Family and could add
the Savoia coat of arms to its trade mark.
Official documentation recognises Giovanni Ascione as
“…he only expert manifacturer of coral and jewellery
in Torre del Greco… he is also renowned abroad…
his factory can be acclaimed as the
most distinguished and important for its valuable
and original artistic production …”,
thus meriting the honour of being appointed
supplier to the Royal family.

After the consent gained at the
Philadelphia International Exposition
of 1876 , where was awarded for the beauty
of the exposed jewelry, the Ascione Manufacture opens
a branch in New York leaving the management
to a very young Domenico, firstborn
of the founder

The end of the nineteenth century is a time of experimentation
of novelties in materials and techniques. This
Glittochromia on shell is an interesting
example.

At the beginning of the new century the factory moved
from its old seat near the port in Torre del Greco,
to the town centre in Piazza Santa Croce,
to a well equipped building where it still located to this day.
The jewellery production of this period is characterised
by the more linear and modern designs dictated
by the “Liberty” style being in fashion and also by
justaposing coral with other materials such as mother-of-pearl,
tortoise-shell, ivory.
Moreover, alongside the serial production,
the factory started manifacturing
unique one off pieces expressly
designed for demanding
customers from all
over the world.

In 1905 the success achieved
by “Giovanni Ascione e Figlio”
received an even higher recognition,a second Registered Royal Patent .
After the death of Giovanni Ascione
the Factory was given a substantial boost
under the modern and competent
management of Giuseppe Ascione.

After the First World War
the Ascione Manifacture and enriched
their traditional collection with
more modern jewellery.
Demonstrates the influence of the latest
trends in fashion and customs of the 30’s.

At that time the Ascione Brothers’
competence and receptiveness to the
artistic and fashion’s trends were able to organize,
around their, an high profile laboratory,
capable to produce many artworks for a selected and exclusive clientele.

These are the years of interesting
orders mainly coming from the most important
international jewelers, from the Royal Family and the
European Aristocracy. The laboratories become place
of research and experimentation.
Today we have only partially
reconstruct the huge production
of unique pieces by jewellery, gifts, holy objects.

In 1938, on the occasion of the visit
of Maria José of Savoy to the Factory,
the princess was given a precious
coral “sautoir”, a crochet-needle-work
with coral beads of
nine different nuances, from
pale pink to dark red.

From the second half of the 30’s
the ascione Manifacture is enriched
by the talent of Giuseppe’s son,
Giovanni Ascione (1915-1994)
who was endowed with a remarkable artistic personality.
His qualities as a designer and his original lines blend
tradition and modernity creating unique masterpieces with innovative
techniques while still adhering to traditional craftsmanship.

In the production area,
over the years, Giovanni occupies a personal space
where applies and refines his
skills as a designer.

Giovanni Ascione gives to the Manifature
a remarquable qualitative leap:
his works are known to many for the intense experimentation
that he reserves to processing of the materials
and for the original inspiration with which
he succeeds in reinterpreting
the artisan traditions.

Giovanni participates in life cultural
and artistic of his time, receiving
those impulses and inspirations that
are clearly visible in some of his jewels
from the thirties until the end of the years
eighty of the twentieth century.

With the guidance of Giovanni Ascione
the Laboratories made pure design jewels
that today document the creative ferment of those years.

The company consolidates its attitude to
creativity and quality. Artisans, goldsmiths, jewelers,
chisellers, guided by the wise, sensitive mind and
the skillful hand of Giovanni Ascione,
enrich the technical knowledge and
sharpen artistic sensibilities ,
the real
peculiarity of
Casa Ascione.

The desire to renew the design,
always warned, enhanced by the materials
used and from the artisan techniques employed,
they make of Giovanni Ascione an artist
with a path truly unique creative.

In the seventies, Giovanni Ascione’s inspirationis
particularly productive and,
thanks to him, the company offers highly innovative
collections, which are all the more remarkable
considering the methods of
producton at the time.

The development of
styles in into the 1980s,
embracing the prevailing
fashions but never
losing their
class.

A new generation enters
the Ascione company and
takes over.
Giuseppe, Mauro, Caterina, Marco
and Giancarlo, Giovanni Ascione’s children,
face a difficult and
momentous transition.
Here you can see the brooch that was made
for the G7 held in Naples in 1994 and which was
given by the Italian government to Hilary Clinton.

The collections are enhanced with influences
from the outside world. At
the beginning of the new millennium,
a new set of collections appear, which embrace
developments in taste and fashion
and are characterized by the essentiality of line and by the purity
of form.

Not only jewellery.
Fashion accessories, gifts and leather goods
enrich Ascione’s collections,
gaining significant ground for
the group’s creativity.

In the last few years, entering the global market
has given impetus to the search
for innovative designs which, by interpreting Italian style,
has been able to draw on new ideas giving life
to younger and more contemporary collections.