With more than 2 linear kilometres of documents, our Historical Archive is one of the richest and most complete collections of the textile sector in existence not only in Italy, but in Europe. A pool of information that the company constantly protects, also adhering to initiatives aimed at preserving it. An example of this is the collaboration with the ‘La Venaria Reale’ Conservation and Restoration Centre (CCR). Five precious sample collections dating back to 1886 and produced by Lanificio Agostinetti & Ferrua – the mill that gave origin to today’s company, ed. – are the subject of a restoration that, despite having started recently, has already led them to take on a new look: originally narrow and long in shape and closed like an accordion, they are now laid out horizontally to be cleaned and studied. Alongside CCR ‘La Venaria Reale’ (among the main representatives of the initiative are Sara Abram, general manager, Roberta Genta, coordinator of the restoration laboratory, and restorer Francesca Colman), we will follow each phase through Marinella Bianco – spokesperson of the company’s Historical Archive and owner of Acta Progetti – who selected the documents for restoration and will hold an archival science lesson during the internship. In addition to our documents, the internship will also cover two sample books belonging to the Civic Museum of Oleggio (NO), both dating back to the first half of the 1900s: the first includes jacquard silk samples, the second hand-made laces. Directly involved in the project are the comune of Oleggio, the Civic Museum, and the Tacafile cultural association of Occhieppo Inferiore (BI), which are taking care of the coordination, making the weave of collaborations possible.
