Beautifully Crafted Wood Eyeglass Frames from a Carpenter and a Designer in Italy.

Italian carpenter Doriano Mattellone and designer Matteo Ragni have a love of wood and its properties, so together they began W-eye with Antonio Stella, which sells wooden eyeglass frames suitable for optical or sunglass lens.



Each lovingly crafted pair is constructed of seven sheets of wood interlaid with two sheets of aluminium to make them both structurally sound and flexible.




A digitally controlled cutting machine is used to create the contours and then each pair is sanded by hand. The frames are then branded and varnished and upon request, can be custom etched and numbered by a sophisticated laser system.





All W-eye models are available in nine types of wood. European wood species include Maple, Ash, Cherry and Walnut. African wood species include Wengè, Mahogany, Ebony, Zebra wood and Sapelli wood. Their most recent collection includes colorful wood stains.




Photo Credits: Still life by Luca Corvatta, portraits by Enrico Suà Ummarino.

Every pair of glasses can be full, or made from one type of wood, bifacial (two types of wood, inner and outer) or multicolour (mix of types of wood, inner/outer). The wood used comes from certified forests managed according to environmental sustainability criteria.

New for 2011:
Their newest collection, just released last month and not yet on their website, includes colored stained woods for a more vibrant and playful look:







Go here for the location of their shops or contact them via e-mail.

A special thanks to Elmanco for bringing these to my attention

La Dolce Vespa. Limited Edition Vespas Inspired by Classic Italian Speedboats.

Digital Veneer in Auckland, New Zealand, provides ultra high quality environmentally responsible alternatives to the use of real wood, marble, granite and stone in the aviation, marine, automotive and high-end architectural markets.

They began their Designer Series of Limited Edition "Tribute" Vespas last February with the GTV Tribute Vespa, using the larger model as a canvas on which to try out a Mahogany veneered version of the originally Italian scooter.

The Limited Edition GTV "Tribute" Vespa:




GTV Specs:


Now, they have released Limited Edition LX50 and LX150 "Tribute" Vespas.






LX50 and LX150 Specs:


The styling and prestige of these limited edition Vespas evoke famous Italian speedboats from the 1960’s with their Mahogany mirror finish and hand stitched leather seats.





Each brand new Vespa is transformed by craftsmen into an authentic and unique work of art and carries a numbered limited edition silver plaque. Their personal customization service is also available to meet any specific requirements you might have.

What is Digital Veneer?

The Digital Veneer™ process decorates 3-dimensional and flat surface products made from plastics, metals, foam, wood, composites and any other structural material with a variety of finishes which exactly replicate the look and feel of natural and man made materials.

Digital Veneer™ is a fraction of the weight of real wood veneers and stone equating to lighter structures and significant fuel savings in aircraft, boats and automobiles.

Digital Veneer™ has the following three significant benefits:

• Environmentally Responsible: With exotic hardwoods, teak and other timber products becoming hard to obtain the ability to replicate the look without using valuable scarce resources.

• Lightweight: Using foams and advanced composites we are able to make hand rails, tables, flooring and cabinets that weigh 60 - 70% less than comparable units made from wood.

• Durability and Flame resistant: Considerable cost savings in maintenance can be achieved using 'Digital Veneer'TM. Utilizing our high solids top coating system developed in conjunction with Awlgrip outside products need only be re-coated every 2 - 3 years opposed to every 2 - 3 months for wood / varnish. As the sub straights are made from a stable material they will not warp, split or swell. The composite construction makes the product stronger than real wood products.

Contact Lance Sheppard of Digital Veneer for more information

Luxury Racing Bikes Exquisitely Crafted of Mahogany Wood By Sueshiro Sano.

Exquisite craftsmanship and attention to detail make this wooden bike the finest about which I have written. While it's true I introduced you to Woody Bicycles and the first FSC- certified wooden bicycle, the elegance and proportions of Sanomagic's wooden bikes are in a class by themselves.



A ninth generation ship builder, Sueshiro Sano, shown above with his Mahogany Bike T2, has created a lightweight high performance luxury bike using layering techniques employed in shipbuilding to make the wood stronger and more durable.



above images courtesy of Adeyaka Magazine

Sano made his first Mahogany bicycle in January of 2008. Since then he has completed ten and is working on the eleventh in which he is introducing Mahogany deep polished rims.






Every element on the bike, other than the gears and brakes, is handcrafted of mahogany wood. A curved wooden frame, wooden spacers, wooden handlebars, a wooden saddle, wooden kickstand and wooden seat. Even the the wheels, the drink holder and the little cap on the tire valves is wood as well.










Sano claims the bike outperforms aluminum models and even some of the most cutting edge carbon fiber models. Like Carbon fiber, wood is a fiber which has holes inside for water which contain air. So, when the wood gets a shock, it expels the air much like a sneaker sole. This absorbs the majority of the shock and provides a seamlessly smooth ride.




Despite the fact that many people see his bikes as a 'design project', Sano considers safety and functionality first.


above: The Sanomagic workshop

Mahogany Bikes made by Sueshiro Sano.