Paris craftsmen

[Milo]

If you go to Paris, you may be interested in the following book published last year (but which I only recently discovered) by Guides Gallimard: Artisans et métiers d'art de Paris, ed. Odile George.

The (French) text and plentiful illustrations provide anecdotical and historical notes on Paris craftsmen and their shops as well as practical information (opening hours, addresses, web sites etc.).

None of the few remaining men's tailors get any mention, but there is a section on bootmakers, and the [/i]formier Lorenzo Ré gets a full page. Apparently, he is one of only three or four remaining craftsmen in the world who can make the "last," if that is the correct term in English, over which felt and top hats are shaped. But the other trades are fascinating too, from ebony carving to the making of wind instruments.

Milo

[Costi]

"last"

Block, I think.

[storeynicholas]

Block, indeed. other interesting words in bespoke hard hatmaking are 'goss' and 'coodle'.
NJS