Ephemera
Levantine manger displays
Pierre Tarabocchia (1908-1978) was a talented individual in the Izmir Levantine community. Although he worked as accountant for the Oriental Carpet Company during all his life, he had a lot of artistic skills and related hobbies. These skills were inherited from his parents. His father André’s hobby was carpentry – the Tito family still possess a beautiful jewel box carved by him - while his mother Marie (born Vidori) was an expert on torchon lace and various needle-works, like all women of that time. Pierre Tarabocchia was famous in Karşıyaka for his nativity scenes (crèches), made from pasteboard and paper. All the neighbours would visit his house to admire his nativity scene during the advent time every year. He also produced other paper decoupage crafts (boxes, greeting cards, etc.), basketry crafts, and various handcrafts. He also wrote rhyming poems, with his beautiful calligraphy. Below are photographed examples of some of this works. R.I.P.
My grandmother Louise Seybald Tarrabocchia (1908-1996) on the left with her friend Nunzia Ballatore Dulagil.
Louise Tarrabocchia
Circa 1950: my grandfather Pierre Tarrabocchia, my grandmother Louise Tarrabocchia (sitting), their daughters, my mother Teodora Braggiotti (on the left) & my aunt Gita Comiskey (back right).
Pierre Tarrabocchia (1908-1978)
Grandfather Pierre & grandmother Louise.
