Murano Glass Beads: The Art of Making These Elegant Beads Before delving into Murano glass beads, we should first learn a bit about Murano glass. It is a type of glass exclusively made in Venice, primarily in the island of Murano. The place is popular in the whole world for its colorful, intricate and skillfully made products. The Art of Making Murano Glass Beads The procedure of making Murano glass is rather complex. In this whole process, glass passes from a liquid to a solid state. In between, there is a state when the glass is soft before it hardens completely. This is the particular time when the glass can be given different shapes. Murano glass artisans use different tools such as borselle, canna da sofio, pontello, scagno, and tagianti to accomplish their tasks. For over 5000 years, beads have been made of glass. The discovery of fire was an important step in glass bead making. The history of bead making in Murano shows it all started when Marco Polo returned from his travel with the beads of Asia. Then local artisans took the Marco polo’s precious stones and produced the beads in glass by using their skills. Wound Beads or Lamp Work Or PerleaLume Venetian Beads
Wound beads can be defined as ones having wound over a mandrel at the time of melting glass. Originally, the Venetian beads are the wounds over a ferrous mandrel which are then covered by a mixture of clay and silica which gives the bead some space for contraction. After it becomes cool, it is removed from the mandrel. What Is the Difference Between Murano Beads and Venetian Beads? Truly, there is no difference. It’s only a matter of marketing terms since Venice is more popular than Murano.
What Are the Beads Made of? They are mainly made of 70% silica. Venetian beads are made of a type of glass known as soda glass with 90 degree COE which is a measurement of expansion in cooling and heating. The beads start to be made from glass rods produced in Murano. The round beads are very strong. The longer beads and shapes that have points are delicate. But it’s better to treat them gently as these are made of glass and can break. Why Are Murano Beads Costlier Than Others?
While determining the price of glass beads, several factors need to be considered. One is the cost of labor. Another one is the availability and desirability of the product. In Venice, glass beads are still handmade. There are a limited number of people practicing this craft in Venice, so supply is also limited. They always provide original, high quality products. So, Venetian beads are not cheap to buy. How Can You Take Care of Glass Beads? Before using them, it is recommended to give the beads a good bath, because the process of making beads is importantly a chemical process. This way, there will be no residue left on beads. Soap and water are used to clean and make them shine. There is no need for stronger solution. If you’re looking to buy Murano beads Italy, then it is advisable to visit OriginalMuranoGlass.com that specializes in authentic, handcrafted Murano glass artworks and boasts of its own factory on the island itself. From contemporary to vintage Murano glass, the online store offers a host of Murano glass pendants, necklaces, earrings, rings, and wrist watches. In addition, buyers can browse through their selections of glass animal figurines, drinking glass sets, chandeliers, Murano glass mirrors, sculptures, bowls and plates, home decor accessories, Murano wedding favors, and lots of other gift items.