In fact, the machine which produces their sample runs was designed by Leonardo da Vinci.
The silk yarn the Antico uses is naturally hand dyed outside Florence, the only difference from the olden days being its providence: it now comes from Brazil. It's still sorted, then loaded onto bobbins for the warp and weft of the looms on the premises.
The mill also has examples of the first semi-industrial looms, from the late 18th century. These are used to produce the silk jacquards that at one time were the signature of Florentine nobility, much like Tartans in Scotland.
Each Noble had their own pattern, assigned at birth, that was produced using these looms, whose instructions came from hand hammered strings of cards, encoded with the design.
These cards are the precursor to computers. Player pianos used a similar setup, as did IBM for its first arithmetic machines. The result is some of the most densely woven and beautiful fabrics ever created.
Stefano Ricci (his son Filippo pictured below) recently purchased the factory, which will continue to manufacture these historically significant and eye-catching woven fabrics, as well as commencing to produce some of Ricci's sought-after silk ties and home furnishings. We're really looking forward to seeing what the Riccis produce with such a wealth of pattern and technical capability at their disposal. The first project is purported to be ties completely produced at the Antico — from dying to weaving to cutting. It's a marriage of the old and new schools of Florence, ensuring the continuity of the rich weaving history of the city.