History and varieties of Murano glass

Thanks to their magnificent colors, the highest quality and professionalism of the craftsmen, Murano glass products have gained worldwide fame. All these incredible features can be seen with the naked eye, you only need to take a good look.

Murano glass already had an impeccable reputation in the 14th century. The state made good profit. The success of the sales has led to the fact that the main inhabitants of the island of Murano were almost only glassmakers. They had many privileges: to wear swords, to pass off their daughters as titled grooms, immunity from prosecution. It is fair to assume that this was an attempt to isolate glassblowers, and thereby prevent the spread of the secrets of this craft from the state. Glassblowers have almost become prisoners of the island of Murano.

For a long time, the island of Murano was the only place where high-quality glass was produced. Where subsequently, glass manufacturing technology was improved and developed. And at present, glassblowers, while preserving ancient technologies, are making everything that they want: from small decorations and up to large elegant chandeliers, making admire and envy masters from around Sveta.

How to make colored glass

In order to get any color, they use chemical compounds in a certain proportion, which requires incredible accuracy from the master and compliance with the time regime. Depending on the application of various chemical compounds (copper, cobalt, gold and other metals), the final price of the product will be added.

Making large chandeliers requires many colored elements that melt separately in each furnace. Therefore, glassblowers take a long time to create just one product. Even the smallest elements of the master’s products are blown out of glass without resorting to painting. All Murano glass products are handmade.

Varieties of Murano Glass

Transparent glass, they call it the Venetian "cristallo", is not inferior in quality to crystal, but lead compounds are not added to its composition.

Colored glass - is made using oxide of some non-ferrous metals. It appeared in the XV century and was enameled.

Incalmo is a special technique for joining colored glass masses in bulky products. Colored masses do not mix and have quite clear outlines.

Milk glass is opaque, opaque with a touch of milk. It was made by adding tin oxide to the silicon base. This was one of the first attempts to make porcelain in Europe. Currently, milk glass is a rarity and has a high cost.

Chalcedony - consists of multidirectional colored layers of glass, resembles in appearance a stone chalcedony, hence the name.

Avanturine - a special type of glass, invented by glassblowers in the XVII century. They added copper particles. It turned out a beautiful glass with flickering golden dots resembling an aventurine stone.

Mosaic glass - it needs a blank, which is done in advance, in the form of long multi-colored glass rods. In cross section, these rods are in the form of a flower, rosettes, stars. After casting, a hot colored roll is obtained, from which later various products are made. Millefiore was called mosaic glass.

Crackling - this glass is obtained in this way: an almost finished hot product is lowered into ice water, because of this, cracks appear on the surface. They then are a unique decoration.

The Pulegoso style technique is based on the effect of the resulting bubbles. This effect is obtained by lowering the hot billet into water, and then returning it to the furnace. This technique achieves the most incredible, amazing beauty effects.

Filigree - is a thinly twisted thread of glass that is introduced into a transparent or colored product in the manufacturing process.