The doubled effect of Florentine Floggers
Archived (old) blog post from Villa Domme 2019 Tuscany.
I am very excited to have Florentine Floggers for Mistresses attending Villa Domme in 2019. Each year, I curate different items into a special kit which attending Mistresses receive. After all, it seems crazy to be so close to Florence and not have practice in the implements named after Florence.
The term itself is apparently a reference to historic Italian swordsmanship which utilized two swords simultaneously, one in each hand and without a shield; which is referred to in the modern era as "Florentine fencing". The use of two swords is recorded within the Marco Docciolini's treatise 'Trattato In Materia Di Scherma' (available in English as Marco Docciolini's 1601 Fencing Treatise translated by Steven Reich).
Florentine flogging similarly utilizes two implements; one in each hand. These should ideally be a twin pair of floggers of the same length and weight (and maker), thrown in a pattern together to rhythmic effect. As has been noted, the pattern is very similar to the New Zealand Maori poi throwing shape of movement.
New Zealand Maoir poi balls thrown rhtymically. Image: Wikicommons
It takes some practice to get the technique mastered (or rather Mistressed), but is very satisfying once that is achieved.
The effect can be quite delicious, for both Dom and sub. Although one of the problems with Florentine flogging is that it is too-often executed (the stereotype goes) by so-called Dominant men who have been more interested in looking cool and on showing off in exhibitionist fashion, rather than in the moment with the submissive receiver and pursuing the Dominant / submissive potential of it. That is, in my view, the potential to stay in continuous connection to the submissive, reigning down a pitter-patter of continuous rhythmic sensation and / or pain, to drive punishment or endorphins, to drive the submissive to an alternate space.
As Firebird Leather notes:
"Florentine creates a repeating adjustable flow of sensation for the bottom. What I mean by that is you can Florentine softly to warm them up, fast and hard to wake them up or ramp the impact up and down in intensity and speed to create a rollercoaster that has no pauses.
The rhythmic nature of it has fewer pauses between strikes. This means the bottom receives a constant stream of sensation that the top can play with."
Source: http://firebirdleather.com/florentine-flogging-end/
There are some beautiful videos of Florentine flogging viewable on Youtube, such as on Aemilia Hawk's Youtube channel:
For Villa Domme 2019, I have opted for a pair of Florentine floggers with a swivel and finger cuffs, which I feel are best suited to the specialist craft art, extending as if from the Mistress's very fingers themselves.
x Anne O Nomis
