Venetian and Murano Glass Bead Facts
Venetian Beads
Venetian Beads are made by using glass rods or sticks made mostly from Moretti (effetre) on Murano Island.
Murano Glass is divided by many different kinds of glass.
The most popular are 1) Transparent, 2) Non Transparent , 3) Opaline, 4) Alabastro.
For the Reticello, Zanfirico or any kind of Latticino you can also have them made but I suggest to make them by yourself.
Using these kinds of glass and mixing them with gold or silver foil makes it possible to make almost any Decoration and Shape.
The first step is the glass has to be prepared.
For each bead it is necessary to have different diameter stick depending on the decorations or size to make.
This step is very important because, the stick depends on the development of the entire bead.
Of course you can use different diameter but it takes longer better being proportionally.
There are many types of methods to make glass beads a master bead maker may choose from, as each one is unique.
In Murano the most used method is by melting the glass with an air pump burner.
The glass is not all the same for example
Venetian glass or any kind of bead can not be created from normal glass, or better it has to be specifically made from the same company or as to be with the exact coefficient of expansion.
Venetian glass is 104 coe and for the 99% of the case you must use the same coe glass if you want to have something to string in your jewelery.There are exceptions of course, but it is better you know something more about glass before starting using them.
In Venezia there are still bead makers that love their work and make extraordinary beads but to make a bead in Venice you must use some very important materials which are: your heart ,your passion for glass and your love for Venice and its traditions
but what is most important for our Venetian glass bead is that they must be created by the master bead maker in order for it to be later called, VENETIAN BEADS.
Venetian Glass
There are many books about Venetian glass and history of glass making.
But, what I would like to transmit to you is the feeling of this wonderful material.
Venetian glass gets its name because; it is made in Venezia on the island of Murano. There is for sure better glass but it is not Venetian Glass. Venetian glass must be made in Murano to have this name. What also is important is the how the Master glass beads artisan are able to insert inside their own design within the glass. It seems like they are sharing part of their soul, it is their passion to create.
Foil Beads
Foil Beads are Beads made by using many kinds of Foil. The most commons are Gold foil 24Kt, Sterling Silver Foil, and White Gold
Foil, but it is also possible to use Platinum foil or other precious metal Foil. What is very important is the thickness of the foil. Usually in Venezia is used 0.0032 or 0,0036 someone also uses 0,0028 but it is too thin for my opinion. The gold I use is 24Kt. Gold Foil 0.0040 and this is the best. I tried to use it thicker but the effect is like a wrapped candy and it is not so pleasant. To make them is necessary to make a little ball of glass according to the size to make and when it is still hot spread on it a layer of gold cut for the size to make. Press it in to the glass in a way that it sticks completely with the glass and then place on it another layer of glass to cover it completely. If it is no completely covered there is the possibility for gold to disappear in time. For a good Bead this is very important.
Sommerso
The Italian meaning of this word is, drowned. To make it, is necessary to crush a colored glass in to very little pieces. Usually this glass is white and mixed with avventurina but, it is possible to use many other colors. To make it you can use the same system of Gold foil and change the Gold with this mixture. What is important is to keep this powder (fritta) colder than the glass to pour on it otherwise you can mix it together and the affect of
Sommerso disappear.
Fiorato
Fiorato means, with flower. This is one the most popular Venetian Beads, even if now there are not so many Master Bead Maker able to to make it. This Bead requires a lot of preparation. At first is necessary to make the vette ( tiny sticks of glass) avventurina.This vettes have to be made in two ways one is round and the other is flat. Than it is necessary to make the yellow vetta, the blue and white vetta and the white and ruby glass vetta. When everything is ready is possible to start. At first it has to made a desired size glass ball around the copper wire. In the very center has to place the flat avventurina vetta. Then both sides top and bottom must place the round avventurina vetta, in a waves like formation.After that in two centers of the bead has to be placed the two roses with the white and ruby glass vetta. Then the opposite sides have to be placed a point of yellow vetta surround with five points of white and blue vetta in a way to make a flower. They are very difficult beads to make.
Avventurina
In Italian avventurina Means, Little adventure. This is a particular kind of glass made with many parts of coppers inside. It looks like moon stone. The color is brown or blue ( once was also red and green but nowadays is very difficult to find them) and inside the glass you can see little parts of glittering copper that look like gold. The name is because it is an adventure to make it. That because it was and it is very difficult to make it. With this material is possible to make many many different variations of decorations. Only a little bit of this avventurina in the Bead and you can changes immediately the result of your beads. It is also not easy to use it.
Mosaico: Mosaico is much more known as millefiori which means, thousand flowers. Millefiori is made by melting different colors of glass in a design up to another and than pulled in sticks of many diameter from 2 mm up to 20 25 mm. It is also possible to make them bigger. When this stick is made has to be cut in a small pieces and placed on the Bead to make. Also this is a very old system to work.
Venetian Beads 2
Murano Glass Beads or Venetian Glass Beads means almost the same thing. There were always been a war between Venetians and Muranesi (people living in the island of Murano). People from Murano said that: we were making the glass and so it was possible for you to make Glass Beads. And Venetians said: we needed glass to make our Glass Beads and so you start to produce it. It is very difficult to know how was exactly even because there are not so many books talking about it. How glass came to Venice is still a mystery. Any case glass was worked in Murano and Venice as well until the year 1294 a.c., in the year 1295a.c. a low made by the Repubblica di Venezia ( La Serenissima ) were forcing all the glass makers to move in to the island of Murano. Many houses were made with wood and the danger of fire were big. Maybe it was made also to control them better in order to not let flee away with the secrets of glass making. What we know exactly is, that right now we produce the most beautiful glass with many colors and it is appreciated in all over the world. Our Handcraft Beads are really fantastic and everybody came from all over the world to Venice to buy it. Especially glass beads. If you want to buy your Venetian Beads do not go through many seller or importer, go directly to the maker and trust Venetian Bead specialists not just any seller.
Italy
Italy once used to be one of the countries who protected and respected hand craft work.
It is for this reason that in Italy you can still find a lot of independent artisans doing the jobs their ancestors did.
Especially in Venice.
During the Republic of Venice there were schools that taught artisan's work.
In Murano, one could learn how to make handcrafted beads.
Nowadays it is almost impossible, everybody keeps all the knowledge
far away in way one's can not understand how is made.
Techniques like millefiori or mosaic beads were very popular at that time.
Gold and silver foils beads were introduced later.
Also, the Murano Glass was protected by special law
that kept the glass only in the island of Murano.
Today one can still find the original handcraft work from centuries in Murano
and buy original handcraft beads made with mosaic, gold foil beads, silver foil beads, white gold foil beads
all representing centuries of Venetian Glass making.
Unfortunately nowadays there are not so many artisans that can teach
how to make
venetian glass or venetian beads but
if you are interested on it you can apply at the school of glass situated in the island of Murano.
The name of this school is ABATE ZANETTI in there you can learn many methods to how work Venetian Glass.
To learn more about it go to
www.abatezanetti.it
Please enjoy our website www.perle-veneziane.com
For any information info@perle-veneziane.com
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