| Glass is all around us and it has been for centuries. | | | | beauty; as finely labored as lace, as light as |
| It is so commonly used that we literally see | | | | feathers, yet full of glorious colors. It is here that |
| through it… so why pay so | | | | the Murano glass tradition as we know it today |
| much for a piece of glass jewelry? Just because | | | | begun: paperweights, vases, chandeliers, mirrors, |
| it is Made in Murano? | | | | candy-glass ornaments, plates in different sizes |
| Because it is Made in Murano! | | | | and shapes, bottles of all sizes, tableware, small |
| Heat a blob of glass until molten, hold it with tongs | | | | colored animals, figurines, calligraphy pens and of |
| or pliers ("borselle") and attach an iron blowpipe to | | | | course jewelries! With regards to jewelry, one |
| it. Now, roll the hot ball of glass while at the same | | | | popular souvenir is la Murrina: a slim round pendant |
| time you're blowing through a blowing pipe ("canna | | | | in colored glass with spiral or flower patterns that |
| da soffio"). Then heat the glass again and repeat | | | | is hung on gold, silver or just a simple cotton |
| the above steps in order to obtain a small | | | | necklace around your neck. |
| wonder. That's exactly how the magic of Murano | | | | The art of glass blowing is first of all a family |
| glass begins. | | | | tradition in Italy, as thorough understanding of the |
| Just as magic and nevertheless as extraordinary, | | | | material and excellent glassblowing techniques are |
| glass is all around us. Found in many different color | | | | required to fully exploit the qualities of the glass. |
| and shapes, be it a vase, a bowl, a church's | | | | Technical knowledge and skills combined with |
| stained glass (medieval glass) or a bead necklace; | | | | passion and pride taken in a work well done are |
| with gold or silver embedded in it or in vibrant | | | | passed on through generations of glassblowers |
| colors… each and every glass | | | | and are developed in conjunction with a sense of |
| object is absolutely unique. | | | | elegance and style, thoroughly appropriate to the |
| Exclusively hand made by a glass artist, a | | | | material. |
| craftsman or a Master Artisan, hand made glass | | | | Some of the Murano manufacturers are |
| objects and especially Murano glass items are | | | | world-known for the beauty of the shapes, the |
| unique. | | | | difficulty of their craft, and the constant quality of |
| Why? | | | | their product; think vintage Venini or Seguso. But |
| Because at the other end of the blowpipe a | | | | even smaller manufacturers nowadays create |
| human being is blowing life into the glass. | | | | outstanding products, and indeed sometimes they |
| And also for the very simple reason that human | | | | can afford more freely to experiment and try |
| beings cannot make two identical objects, just | | | | new combinations both in design and in balancing |
| similar ones. | | | | the colors, still always conforming to the traditional |
| This is the genuine appeal and magic of a blown | | | | manufacturing techniques. |
| glass item: one can have as many as one can | | | | Often the Murano glass - especially the larger, |
| afford to buy and they can be more or less | | | | more valuable pieces - comes accompanied by a |
| beautiful, but no two of them will ever be the | | | | guarantee, be it the artist's signature or |
| same if they are individually blown. And glass has | | | | workshop's trademark or a slip containing a |
| been manufactured since the 3rd millennium BC in | | | | certificate of authenticity. An original Murano item |
| Egypt, where 1st century BC holds evidence of | | | | is heavy, its colors bright and its glass flawless. |
| the first true blown glass in Syria. | | | | The lack of such a guarantee does not |
| Throughout the centuries blown glass has | | | | necessarily mean that one would be dealing with a |
| remained a luxury material and its art has | | | | fake or a copy. But then, how can I tell the real |
| flourished during the Roman world. The white silica | | | | thing, how can I be confident that I'm not being |
| sand from this area was the ideal raw material to | | | | sold "fake" Murano glass? Our advice is to buy |
| be used in the production of Roman glass due to | | | | from a respectable, specialized shop. Like Alluring |
| its low impurity levels. Starting with the 14th | | | | Creations. |
| century, the island of Murano, off the shore of | | | | And above all, do not be afraid to ask questions |
| Venice, Italy, started to hold the | | | | to the shop owner: the best Murano glass dealers |
| monopoly in luxury glass creations: dinnerware, | | | | have an in-depth knowledge of their wares and |
| mirrors, jewelleries, lighting products. It is here | | | | will be all too happy to answer your questions and |
| that throughout a laborious and demanding work | | | | help you make the best choice possible. |
| of art experts craftsmen have been producing | | | | Last but not least, remember that Murano is an |
| for many centuries blown glass objects of rare | | | | investment, both cultural and financial! |