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Unless otherwise stated, all items we sell are handmade, unique and individual. They are made using either pure 99.9% silver, sterling silver, 14ct gold filled wire (not plated) and glass or swarovski beads. All are one-off pieces which are eye-catching and original.
Murano Glass
Murano is an island located off the shore of Venice, Italy. Murano glass refers to glass made in Murano or elsewhere using techniques developed and refined over the centuries by the glass makers of Murano.
It is thought that the glassmaking in Murano originated from Rome in the 9th century with significant Asian and Muslim influences. Murano's reputation as the centre of glass making arose as a result of the Venetian Republic ordering it's glassmakers to move to Murano in 1291. The order was given because most buildings in Venice were constructed of wood and the Republic feared fire and destruction from the glassmakers foundries.
By the 14th century Murano's glassmakers were some of the island's most prominent citizens; they were allowed to wear swords, were immune from prosecution and married their daughters into Venice's most affluent families. There was a downside; the glassmakers were not permitted to leave the island and many fled to set up business in the surrounding cities. Others fled to Europe and set up furnaces as far afield as England and the Netherlands.
By the end of the 16th century nearly half of Murano's seven thousand inhabitants were involved in the glassmaking process. For centuries the glassmakers of Murano had a monopoly on quality glassmaking and developed and refined many new techniques such as enamelled glass, multicoloured glass and glass with threads of precious metals, such as gold. Many of these old methods are still employed today by glassmakers to make beautiful glassware in the Murano style.
It is a complicated process to make glass in the Murano style. The glass is made from liquid silica at high temperatures. As the glass cools it softens and at this stage can be worked by the glassmaker. other raw materials called melting agents can be added to change colour, eliminate bubbles or give the glass an opaque appearance.
There are various techniques a glass-master can use to achieve different glass styles. The Murrine technique layers coloured liquid glass which is stretched into long rods. When cold these rods are sliced creating a layered pattern. The famous millefiori is a style of murrine where each molten layer of glass is shaped into a star then cooled and layered again. When the glass rods are sliced the murrine has many points leaving a wonderful pattern.
Many of the tools used by the glassmaker to produce Murano style glass have not changed a great deal over the centuries. These tools include the glassmakers blowpipe, tongs or pliers to help form the molten glass, iron rods which are attached to the blowpipe to add finishing touches and large glass-cutting clippers.