It’s easy to lose track of time peering through the windows of his shop in Carlton, admiring the abundance of handmade objects, often extravagant and eccentric in design. He says he does not define himself as an artist, as his work doesn’t bare a recognisable style. He rather fashions things in his spare time, bringing to life the images that “occupy his mind”.

And yet, Fortunato 'Lucky' Rocca, originally from Nicastro, in the province of Catanzaro, Calabria, still draws, creates, carves.

From his workshop in Carlton, 'FJ Rocca Gold and Silversmith', which is celebrating its fiftieth anniversary, he continues to welcome clients, making unique pieces in gold and silver, looking back on his long journey with a childlike enthusiasm.

It’s the same enthusiasm that drove him to that busy workshop in Thornbury’s industrial district for his first job as a gold and silversmith at the age of just fourteen. However, those were different times, “when gold was struck by hand”, in the absence of more modern machinery.

The half-century of unyielding toil to which Rocca has committed himself is visible not only in his detail-oriented gaze, but above all, in his hands, marked by time, in his “aching shoulders in the evening”. But the brilliant gold of the trophies he made for the Melbourne Cup, the silver of his models to scale - works that can be seen in the corridors of the National Gallery of Victoria - remains unchanged.

It was his father who first came to Australia back in 1950, driven by the same needs as millions of fellow countrymen in search of a more peaceful tomorrow. In Port Melbourne, he started work as a labourer, setting out on the path that would facilitate his wife and six children joining him two years later; Fortunato Rocca was only six years old.

"At home, we spoke Italian, Calabrian dialect, and at first, imperfect English, but my mother read a lot, and quickly learned the new language. My father, on the other hand, already felt at ease in the new country, especially after the opening of his first delicatessen in Carlton, where we settled in 1956, followed by a second shop in Brunswick. Of my early years in Italy, I only remember the dark coloured uniform we had to wear to school,” he said.

His name, strange to the Australian ear, translates to 'Lucky' - a nickname he embraced and never abandoned.

“We were simply trying to fit in, at a time of great resentment at the end of World War II,” he continued.

“It was my first teacher at school who originally called me Lucky; easier to pronounce, easier to repeat to classmates. Better this nickname than any of the other derogatory nicknames Italians were getting in those days!”

During his years at the then Collingwood Technical School, where arts and trades were practised on a daily basis, Rocca discovered that he was passionate about metalwork. During an excursion to a local factory on the outskirts of Melbourne, an opportunity fell in his lap; one that he couldn’t pass up.

“I was the first student chosen by the teacher to interview at one of the workshops we visited, and then I was selected for an apprenticeship,” he said.

“I don't know if I was one of the best, but I was definitely the student with the most interest.”

Fortunato 'Lucky' Rocca showing the first trophy he created for the Melbourne Cup in 1971. (Photo provided)

It was 1962 when Rocca began his journey as a gold and silversmith at the James William Steeth factory, known for bringing the manufacturing of the Melbourne Cup trophy to Australia and devising its distinctive three-handled design that has survived to this day. Until the early 1900s, the cup was in fact made in England and subsequently shipped down under.  

"Making the cup for the popular race has always been a family business for them. When I was hired, (the factory) was managed by Bill, then John, my supervisor, and finally Maurice. In 1968, I was first asked to help with the processing, and three years later, in 1971, after Maurice had passed away, I made my first Melbourne Cup trophy; I was very excited,” Rocca recounted.

“At the time, there was already a lot of betting going on for the race, but I think it was always more about showing off fancy clothes and hats. Besides, it wasn't the festivity that it is today; we, for example, worked all day and only had an hour break so we could watch the race.”

When the owner passed away, Rocca continued to run the factory for the next three years, until 1973, when he decided to set up his own business in the heart of Carlton, a suburb he knew well and appreciated for its evergreen dynamism.

An old restaurant on Elgin Street was soon transformed into a retro shop with windows, overflowing with collectibles and a workshop for gold and silver work.

Rocca in his Carlton workshop. (Photo provided)

Over the years, following in the footsteps of great artists such as Michelangelo and Benvenuto Cellini, Rocca has created ceremonial plaques and maces for the federal and state governments, religious icons and objects for bishops and archbishops, unusual figurines, and custom jewellery for his clients.

"I’ve done a lot of work over the years, but with a smile, I’ll always remember a vase I created for Princess Anne's wedding, a beautiful gold trophy for a national rodeo and a ceremonial mace, commissioned by the federal and NSW governments, for the celebration of Welsh independence from the United Kingdom," continued Fortunato Rocca.

"A lot has changed over time, especially after the two-year pandemic, but I still enjoy making unique pieces for my clients, even though my hands no longer allow me to work full-time. But I continue to nurture my creativity day after day, if only for a few hours.”