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