Tuesday, November 4, 2008

The Attractive Quality of Italian Glassware

By: Kris Mink

A beautiful and long history is characteristic of Italian glassware. Legend says that glassmaking started in Italy in the pre-Roman period when unnamed sailors built a intense fire on the beach and discovered that the very hot sand formed glass. Venice may have been at the epicenter of Italian glassware manufacture since 450 AD.

During the period of Constantine, Italian glassware was a flourishing guild with professional conduct standards and training via guided teachings. The formulation of particular Italian glassware manufacturing methods, such as filigrana, gilding, and enameling had also already taken place. Dads conveyed to their sons the techniques and glass recipes in the form of family cookbooks. The formulas have been added to and fine-tuned for for a long time.

The making of glass was a healthy industry in Italy throughout Constantine's time. In the late 13th century, a law mas made forbidding the formation of new glasshouses inside the city limits due to the numerous fires caused by glasshouses. The law caused the glassware industry to relocate to Murano, an island close to Venice, where glassmaking is still doing very well today.

New manufacturers started to enter the fray after the industry had been ruled by Italian glassware manufacturing throughout the Renaissance period and well into the seventeenth century. The clarity, color, delicacy, and beauty of Italian glassware was as much appreciated and celebrated during those times as it is today.

Modern Italian Glassware

The marvel and glitter of Venetian glassware from Murano is still highly sought after and Murano still remains the epicenter of Italian glassware making. Even though a collection of functional pieces are manufactured in Murano, the main focus is for decoration oriented glassware. Any glassware could have a practical use, but it's hard to rationalize putting pop into glasses that cost more than one hundred dollars per glass. They're art objects, not dinnerware.

Italian glassware is art, and the glasses and ornamental pieces are all outstanding. Every piece is hand-blown, which makes every item one of a kind and gives it perfect colors with fragile and fantastic features. Italian glassblowers will never be described as artisans but will forever be known as extremely accomplished artists.

Glassware serving as pure art is a comparatively recent development, and Murano is slap bang in the center of the development. The American glass artist Dale Chihuly learned most of his art in the Italian glasshouse of Venini Fabrica. Venice boasts a collection of glass chandeliers that were made by Chihuly in collaboration with Murano glass maker Line Tagliapetra.

Modern Italian glassware remains as beautiful and valued as it was during the Renaissance. To this day it still determines the standard for modern day glassware as well as the standard for fragility and quality in glass art. The wonderful epicenter of glassmaking, namely Murano, is to this day a location that attracts numerous glass artists for a chance to learn from the leaders in the industry.

Article Directory: http://www.articlecube.com
Written by Kris Mink. At www.glasswareinfo.com you can get glassware help, as well as advice for 22 oz glassware.

Video On Murano Glass

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3. See Video On Murano Glass blowing ferrari horse

Sunday, October 12, 2008

The Attractive Quality of Italian Glassware

A beautiful and long history is characteristic of Italian glassware. Legend says that glassmaking started in Italy in the pre-Roman period when unnamed sailors built a intense fire on the beach and discovered that the very hot sand formed glass. Venice may have been at the epicenter of Italian glassware manufacture since 450 AD.

During the period of Constantine, Italian glassware was a flourishing guild with professional conduct standards and training via guided teachings. The formulation of particular Italian glassware manufacturing methods, such as filigrana, gilding, and enameling had also already taken place. Dads conveyed to their sons the techniques and glass recipes in the form of family cookbooks. The formulas have been added to and fine-tuned for for a long time.

The making of glass was a healthy industry in Italy throughout Constantine's time. In the late 13th century, a law mas made forbidding the formation of new glasshouses inside the city limits due to the numerous fires caused by glasshouses. The law caused the glassware industry to relocate to Murano, an island close to Venice, where glassmaking is still doing very well today.

New manufacturers started to enter the fray after the industry had been ruled by Italian glassware manufacturing throughout the Renaissance period and well into the seventeenth century. The clarity, color, delicacy, and beauty of Italian glassware was as much appreciated and celebrated during those times as it is today.

Modern Italian Glassware

The marvel and glitter of Venetian glassware from Murano is still highly sought after and Murano still remains the epicenter of Italian glassware making. Even though a collection of functional pieces are manufactured in Murano, the main focus is for decoration oriented glassware. Any glassware could have a practical use, but it's hard to rationalize putting pop into glasses that cost more than one hundred dollars per glass. They're art objects, not dinnerware.

Italian glassware is art, and the glasses and ornamental pieces are all outstanding. Every piece is hand-blown, which makes every item one of a kind and gives it perfect colors with fragile and fantastic features. Italian glassblowers will never be described as artisans but will forever be known as extremely accomplished artists.

Glassware serving as pure art is a comparatively recent development, and Murano is slap bang in the center of the development. The American glass artist Dale Chihuly learned most of his art in the Italian glasshouse of Venini Fabrica. Venice boasts a collection of glass chandeliers that were made by Chihuly in collaboration with Murano glass maker Line Tagliapetra.

Modern Italian glassware remains as beautiful and valued as it was during the Renaissance. To this day it still determines the standard for modern day glassware as well as the standard for fragility and quality in glass art. The wonderful epicenter of glassmaking, namely Murano, is to this day a location that attracts numerous glass artists for a chance to learn from the leaders in the industry.

Article Directory: http://www.articlecube.com

Written by Kris Mink. At www.glasswareinfo.com you can get glassware help, as well as advice for 22 oz glassware.

Tuesday, August 12, 2008

History of Murano Rosary Beads

By Beth Guide

Murano Italy, a small town north of Venice, has set the world standard for glasswork and beads, including Murano Rosary Beads, making it the glass capital of the world,. Tracing back to the 9th century, Murano glass and beads have a long history. The artwork, innovation and craftsmanship have grown in tradition through the centuries.

Murano was a large port, along with Venice allowing it to use the glass as a trading staple with its is Asian and African neighbors. One of the earliest uses and stories was about how glass was blown into the shape of bottles dating back as far as 1083 and elevated to the glass capital of the world in the 13th century.

In the 1930s there was a distinctive shift in Murano Glass, lead by Ermanno Toso. He changed the focus of the items made to a more modern theme. Murano glass and the island itself has withstood the test of two world wars, and in the 40s was reinvigorated post World War II, making the 1950s one of the more artistically memorable sets of years. Among the artist techniques employed, glass blowers used the technique called filigrana, where the glass blower takes the glass blowing pipe and roll over the canes of glass each a unique striping for the bead. Some beads are straight striped, some are spiral and may then be shaped into balls and teardrop shapes. In modern times the glass created though the 1950s is considered one of the most sought after.

In the late 20th century, the problem of counterfeiting Murano Glass entered the market. Asia was making replicas of the glassware, vases and millefiore, a process where buy an image is placed into the glass rod itself and then becoming part of the blown bead, Prior to 1849, it was called mosaic. Millefiori in Murano beads always contain a very distinctive flower pattern.

In response the Promovetro, or glassmakers consortium, came up with a Murano trademark, a lilac sticker that displays a cana de soffio or glass blowers pipe and the Italian words, Artistic Glass Murano so that it is difficult to copy. This was registered with the European Union.

In 2003 it was necessary for the city of Venice to once again make a new Trademark designed by the French artist, Mathieu Thibautto. This allowed for Murano glass stay exclusive and making counterfeits lacking in the quality and history that Murano glass beads have come to represent.

Beth Guide is the webmaster for Faith-Full.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Beth_Guide

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Wednesday, July 23, 2008

Murano Glass Jewelry Origins

Glass beads have been in use as jewelry, probably as a substitute for the rare and expensive gemstones, for centuries. There is evidence of a method known as ‘core forming’ in Mesopotamia in 2340 B.C. where a metal rod with pieces of glass was held over a fire; as the glass softened, they were worked into intricate ornaments that were treasured by their owners so much that people were buried with them.

Although glassmaking has been an art and an industry in Europe, particularly Venice, since the 11th century, it was the return of the Venetian explorer Marco Polo and his father in 1294, which provided the impetus for the widespread development of the glass bead as ornamental jewelry. Returning from his travels in Asia with jewelry and precious stones from China, the Venetian glassmakers took to their furnaces to reproduce the gems he had brought back. Soon after, improvements in glassmaking techniques and materials provided the means for the development of a wide range of Venetian glass jewelry, especially Murano jewelry.

Lets take a look at a glance the history of Murano glass making in Venetian. Where does the perfection of Murano glass beads comes from?

The island of Murano lies to the north of Venice. It has been the hub of the Venetian glass industry for several centuries – mainly because Venetian lawmakers forced the move in 1291. The style and color or Murano glass is unique and much sought after. It is now a standard and much enjoyed component of the jewelry industry and looks great when worn.

Murano glass jewelry makes a fine gift. The workmanship that goes into making the jewelry means that everybody can expect quality glass adornments every time.

The Author

By Eric Hartwell

For a further appreciation of jewelry visit Jewelry To Love Eric Hartwell also oversees "The World's Best Homepage" intended to be a user-generated resource where YOUR opinion counts. Anybody can contribute and all are welcomed. Visit us to read, comment upon or share opinions at the worlds best homepage.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Eric_Hartwell