The Real Story Behind The Vatican Deal – Part Two
One of the most vivid settings in The Vatican Deal is a historic bronze foundry in Naples that Marty and Bo attempt to purchase.
That part of the story came directly from real life.
During one of my trips to Italy in the early 2000s, my business partner and I found ourselves exploring the possible acquisition of the Chiurazzi Foundry—one of the most extraordinary art workshops in the world.
Founded in 1870 by sculptor Gennaro Chiurazzi, the foundry built a reputation for producing museum-quality bronze replicas of classical sculpture. But what made Chiurazzi truly unique wasn’t just craftsmanship—it was access.
At a time when museums were increasingly concerned about fire, war, and vandalism, many institutions quietly commissioned exact bronze duplicates of their most valuable works. Using traditional lost-wax casting techniques, Chiurazzi artisans created precise reproductions from original sculptures.
The museums kept the replicas.
The foundry kept the molds.
Over time, Chiurazzi accumulated more than 1,600 molds—an astonishing archive of Western art. These included works tied to masters like Michelangelo and Gian Lorenzo Bernini, as well as pieces uncovered at Pompeii and Herculaneum.
At its peak, the foundry supplied bronzes to institutions around the world, including major collections like the J. Paul Getty Museum and the Ringling Museum of Art.
Stepping Into Another Century
When members of our team toured the foundry, it felt like stepping back in time.
Shelves stretched in every direction, stacked with plaster molds—each one a direct link to a masterpiece. Craftsmen still worked using centuries-old methods, preserving techniques that had barely changed since the Renaissance.
And then came the realization:
The entire foundry was for sale.
For an art company like ours, the implications were staggering. Controlling those molds could mean controlling one of the most extensive catalogs of classical sculpture in existence—arguably one of the greatest repositories of Renaissance and classical works ever assembled in one place.
For a brief time, we seriously considered buying it.
In the end, another Oregon company outbid us.
But the idea never left me.
From Real Life to Fiction
Years later, when I sat down to write The Vatican Deal, I knew I had found the perfect centerpiece for a thriller.
In the novel, Marty Schott and Bo Bishop succeed in acquiring a historic Naples foundry. But instead of a straightforward business deal, the purchase pulls them into something far more dangerous—putting them in direct conflict with powerful forces in Naples.
Including the mafia.
In reality, the exploration of the deal ended with a flight home.
In fiction, buying a foundry in Naples is just the beginning of the trouble.
See the Story Behind the Story
I recently shared this story—along with the real-world events behind The Vatican Deal—during a live talk at the Lake Oswego Public Library.
More Real Stories Behind The Vatican Deal
If you enjoyed this article, you can start at the beginning of the series here:
Doing Business with the Vatican – How it all began
Or continue exploring the real events that inspired the novel:
- The Vatican Bank Scandals – The financial intrigue that shaped the plot – Coming soon
- The Camorra War in Naples – The brutal mafia conflict that forms the backdrop – Coming soon
The Thriller Inspired by Real Events
These experiences in Rome and Naples ultimately became the foundation for The Vatican Deal—an award-winning international crime thriller.
In the novel, Portland entrepreneurs Marty Schott and Bo Bishop travel to Italy to purchase a historic bronze foundry and secure a Vatican licensing deal. But when their alluring partner and her powerful Russian backer draw them into a web of deception, they find themselves caught between the Naples mafia, the Vatican Bank, and the Russian Vory.
When their partner is kidnapped, Marty and Bo must uncover the truth behind the deal before it costs them their lives.
Winner — 2025 CIPA EVVY Gold Medal (Thrillers & Suspense)
Amazon #1 Hot New Release – Financial Thrillers
Read The Vatican Deal on Kindle now. Also available in print and Audible editions.