About Us
Who Are You Guys?
Our goal is to bring people like you, who cherish and appreciate fine artistry, closer to the artisans who create them. Everything we offer is handmade by carefully-selected artisans who pour their love and pride into each piece of work.
Much as Marco Polo brought the Western world in contact with the treasures of the Far East in the late 13th century, Marcopoloni strives to put you in touch with beautiful handmade goods from around the world!
Marco - po ... what??
Marcopoloni is pronounced like marco - poloni.
It rhymes with Fargo bologny.
One gentleman thought it spells Marco Polo 'n' I ... but no, we're really not that creative.
Of course, if that makes it easier to remember, then Marco Polo 'n' you it is!!
As you may have guessed, the name Marcopoloni originated from Marco Polo (1254-1324) ... the Venetian who became world-renown for his adventures into the Far East. The -oni suffix is derived from Rigatoni - yes, the tube-shaped pasta, but more importantly our webmaster's beloved tube-shaped dog. This canine is responsible for sparking the -oni craze in our small little world, where plain old boring words are turned into exotic vocabulary simply by making them end in -oni. Call it an oratory make-over! Apply it to nouns, verbs, adjectives ... don't descriminate!
Examples:
- I'm tired-a-toni
- I'm going to nap-a-toni
- That's suck-a-roni!
- Rigatopoloni is sulkatoni
Rigatopoloni is sulkatoni.
Send an e-mail to Rigatoni and he'll write back when he's in the mood!
Why Handmade?
We at Marcopoloni strongly believe ...
it's not WHAT you give that's important, but
WHY you give it.
Sure, an evening out at an expensive restaurant might be nice, but surprising that special someone with a home-cooked meal which showcases the covert culinary training you've been going through (ever since your last attempt which ended up with every single smoke detector in your house going off) ... could be even better.
A diamond necklace recommended by the slightly over-eager saleswoman at the exclusive boutique shop might be nice ... Okay, let's get real, it IS nice, but a necklace that is hand-picked by you because it brings out the color in her eyes and its unique design compliments her personality ... could be even better.
Shopping for a mass-produced gift that could be found in every department store across the country might require less thinking, but giving something special ... something that was handmade by a skilled artisan who pours his/her pride into each piece of work, and carefully selected by YOU... is SO MUCH BETTER.
MARCOPOLONI ... handmade on planet earth.
What Can I Find on Marcopoloni?
You can find a wide variety of carefully-selected products ranging from Japanese tapestries and noren curtains, Paua shell jewelry and unique stained glass accessories, to Italian leather keychains, wallets, messenger bags, CD cases, and writing journals. These items are extremely well-received as birthday and other special occasions gifts.
We invite you to hang around and be prepared to be impressed by these gifted artisans - we think you'll like what you see!