Object of Desire: Luxury Scissors from Ciselier in Canada
My late mother had a thing about scissors (and all desk essentials, for that matter). And I’ve inherited her obsession; my most recent extravagance was a pair of razor sharp stainless Tres Claveles kitchen scissors made by hand in a workshop in Solsona, Spain, near Barcelona, where the Pallarès family has been making knives and blades since 1917.
So I took note when I came across Ciselier in Canada, which describes itself as “the first-ever company founded to foster and promote appreciation for high-quality scissors and the heritage art of scissor-making.” Founded by journalists Maggie Fox and David Thomas, Ciselier is devoted to “keeping the art of high-quality scissor-making alive,” as the couple says. “The vast majority of household scissors are of poor quality, mass-produced at a very low cost: disposable products. However, there are workshops, scattered around the world in communities historically associated with sword- and blade-making, that continue to use time-tested forging, stamping, polishing, and hand-assembly techniques to produce products intended to last a lifetime.”
Here’s a look at their offerings, which include kitchen, embroidery and sewing, office, and left-handed scissors:
N.B. According to Ciselier, “Our selection is limited, and our small quantities reflect the time required to produce high-quality scissors.”
Above: The Fennek 8-inch Italiano Classico Kitchen Scissors are a Ciselier exclusive and handmade by Fennek (Italian for “Fox”), a little-known, but highly respected Italian scissor-making shop; $119.
Above: The Tres Claveles 8- Profesional Cocina Scissors are handmade in Spain; $159.
Above: Only a few Fennek 12-inch Grandi Grandi Forbici Tailor Scissors, a Ciselier exclusive, are made every year; currently on backorder; $339. A happy customer says, “These are finished like a piece of fine jewelry; the workmanship is outstanding.”
Above: The Alpen 4.5-inch Schoolhouse Righties from Italy are a Ciselier exclusive; $23.
Above: The Ernest Wright Left-Handed 7-inch Turton Kitchen Scissors are handmade in Sheffield, England, and are currently on backorder; $249.
Above: The packaging for the Ernest Wright Turton scissors is très élégant.
Above: Worried about giving scissors as a gift because of the old saw about bringing the recipient bad luck? “Just include a coin with the scissors,” according to Ciselier. “That way, the person who gets the present can then offer that coin back to you in return as a token payment. It’s a ritual that we endorse (and even have a custom card for), even if we don’t actually worry about the bad luck risk.”For more on the art of cutlery, see:
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