| Murano Italy, a small town north of Venice, has | | | | a unique striping for the bead. Some beads are |
| set the world standard for glasswork and beads, | | | | straight striped, some are spiral and may then be |
| including Murano Rosary Beads, making it the glass | | | | shaped into balls and teardrop shapes. In modern |
| capital of the world,. Tracing back to the 9th | | | | times the glass created though the 1950s is |
| century, Murano glass and beads have a long | | | | considered one of the most sought after. |
| history. The artwork, innovation and | | | | In the late 20th century, the problem of |
| craftsmanship have grown in tradition though the | | | | counterfeiting Murano Glass entered the market. |
| centuries. | | | | Asia was making replicas of the glassware, vases |
| Murano was a large port, along with Venice | | | | and millefiore, a process where buy an image is |
| allowing it to use the glass as a trading state with | | | | placed into the glass rod itself and then becoming |
| its is Asian and African neighbors. One of the | | | | part of the blown bead, Prior to 1849, it was |
| earliest uses and stories was about how glass | | | | called mosaic. Millefiori in Murano beads always |
| was blown into the shape of bottles dating back | | | | contain a very distinctive flower pattern. |
| as far as 1083 and elevated to the glass capital of | | | | In response the Promovetro, or glassmakers |
| the world in the 13th century. | | | | consortium, came up with a Murano trademark, a |
| In the 1930s there was a distinctive shift in | | | | lilac sticker that displays a cana de soffio or glass |
| Murano Glass, lead by Ermanno Toso. He changed | | | | blowers pipe and the Italian words, Artistic Glass |
| the focus of the items made to a more modern | | | | Murano so that it is difficult to copy. This was |
| theme. Murano glass and the island itself has | | | | registered with the European Union. |
| withstood the test of two world wars, and in the | | | | In 2003 it was necessary for the city of Venice |
| 40s was reinvigorated post World War II, making | | | | to once again make a new Trademark designed |
| the 1950s one of the more artistically memorable | | | | by the French artist, Mathieu Thibautto. This |
| sets of years. Among the artist techniques | | | | allowed for Murano glass stay exclusive and |
| employed, glass blowers used the technique called | | | | making counterfeits lacking in the quality and |
| filigrana, where the glass blower takes the glass | | | | history that Murano glass beads have come to |
| blowing pipe and roll over the canes of glass each | | | | represent. |