Umberto Coen of Salò

Over forty years ago I visited Zia Gina in Salò; she was the sister of my grandfather's stepmother. A rather tenuous connection, but she left a lasting memory, of a distinguished and courteous old lady. I have recorded my impressions elsewhere: 'I met his Aunt, Gina Coen, his mother's younger sister, when I visited her at her home at the beautiful Villa Eucedros at Salò in the summer of 1964. She lived on the first floor of the large building, approached by a magnificent and impressive staircase in the Italian style. She was most genteel, in the same manner as my Zia Elsa, and made me very welcome. Her husband, also presumably from a family of Jewish origin, ran a business producing a liqueur - I think one was called 'Pierrot.'  Gino and Umberto worked for this company after the war.' In fact, it may not have been in 1964 but almost ten years later that I visited her, but I cannot now remember.

A few days ago I recalled the mention of a liqueur called 'Pierrot' and some internet searches achieved quick results. I discovered who Zia Gina's husband was, how he had died aged 41 on 28th January, 1920, only two days after his mother, leaving her a childless widow, but having made a 'vasta fortuna' from his business.

The family was indeed Jewish, and of Venetian origin, but settled in Brescia since the eighteenth century.

My uncle Umberto Schiff was correct too in recalling that there was a liqueur named 'Pierrot'. It seems that he and his brother Gino had indeed worked for the business, which appears to have been run by Zia Gina, their aunt, in partnership with another.

I realise now that it was the liqueur Eucedros that gave its name to the Coen's home. I believe that this is now the Palazzo Coen, also known as the Fondaco Coen, and the home of Salò's museum.

23rd January, 2017
Additional Notes from my cousin, Valerio Schiff

Purtroppo non posso dirti moltissimo sulla ditta Coen. Dopo la morte di Umberto Coen, è subentrato come socio della zia Gina il sig. Tentori, defunto nel 1967. La ditta ha continuato ad operare fino al '69. Mio zio e mio padre hanno lavorato in Ditta come agenti. Lo zio è uscito nel 1960 ed ha iniziato a lavorare per Cinzano a Bergamo, poi a Brescia per Stock, Ferraretto, Caffarel, altre ditte di vini portoghesi e whisky scozzesi. Mio padre è rimasto in Coen fino alla chiusura, poi ha concluso la sua attività in Tassoni. Non sono mai riuscito a capire perchè la zia Gina  non ha deciso di continuare coinvolgendo i fratelli. Lei è mancata nel 1976.

I'm afraid I cannot tell you very much about the Coen business. After Umberto Coen's death a Signor Tentori became a partner of Zia Gina. He died in 1967. The business carried on until 1969. My uncle and father worked for the business as reps. Uncle [Gino] left in 1960 and started work for Cinzano at bergamo, then at brescia for Stock. ferraretto, Caffarel, other makes of Portuguese wines and Scotch whiskeys. My father stayed at Coen until it shut down, and then finished his career at Tassoni. I never understood why Zia Gina didn't decide to carry on involving the brothers. She passed away in 1976. 

27th January, 2017
Going through my father's suitcase of souvenirs I found this broken plastic fan, which I suspect must have been a souvenir gift from a visit to Zia Gina in Salò in the 1960s.