European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - August 04, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Olfes italian factories can make fake or repair furniture of your dreams Giorgio Cavaner owner of a furniture store explains the manufacturing process in one of his workshops above. Some of the furniture stores like this one in Cerea resemble museums right.  Northern Italy Bureau there is a stretch of Highway in Northern Italy that contains the most incredible concentration of furniture factories and outlets that you re Ever Likely to encounter. The factories More than 100 of them and most extremely Large operations Are located about 30 Miles South of Verona and about 20 Miles East of Mantua. _ for about a dozen Miles they line both sides of a Highway running from just outside leg Nago to Bov Olone. The town of Cerea lies at the heart of the route and it boasts the largest concentration of factories " most of the factories specialize in making reproduction antique furniture Quality copies of Century old pieces. Some factories concentrate on a narrow Range of periods and styles perhaps English Queen Anne or French Empire. Others turn out a _ dazzling array ranging from italian Renaissance to american victorian. Name it and somewhere along the Road an Artisan in some factory is handcrafting a breakfront closet a Bow Back chair a Brace Back chair a Cloven foot table a Cylinder front Secretary a Highboy a Lowboy a nest of tables a Roll top desk or a whatnot. These repro Are fashioned out of satinwood Oak mahogany Chestnut Cherry burled Walnut and burled Ash and Rosewood. Some have intricate carving and gilding while others Are Strong and austere. Some Are polished to a Sheen others deliberately made to look Olda Dworn. _ be advised that the Quality pieces Don t come cheap although you will certainly save substantial sums off what these piece Cost elsewhere. Three massive Matching pieces in Burl Walnut could set you Back to million lire about $18,000. However there Are some Lovely tables and chairs for about $200. In some factory Scio rooms All items carry Price tags. In others you must ask the Price. A " Tad Rawn by High Quality and Low prices customers Many of them Interior decorators travel from All Over the world to buy at the showrooms. They Haven t been coming Long because the furniture Industry did t exist in the area until about 50 years ago according to Giorgio Cavaler proprietor of the pasotto reproduction House in Cerea. The Industry started with a local Man named Merlin who worked with Wood mostly building 12 stripes Magazine August 4, 1994