Murano glass, also known as Venetian glass, has a long and colourful past, with the glassmakers families enjoying privaliged. lifes allowing them to marry into noble families without a loss of status BUT there were prices to pay. Glassmakers were not to leave the Murano Island without permission and if they did so their families were arrested,to not return to the Island could result in the glassmakers death.
Glassmakers were not allowed to divulge trade secrets or "recipes", again to do so could result in their death. To be able to monitor the import and export of the glassware and to reduce the fire risk, from the wooden furnaces, to the wooden buildings on the mainland the industry was moved to the Islands of Murano.
Murano chandeliers are magnificent expressions of art and in the 1700's Giuseppe Briati's chandeliers were called "
Ciocche" , translation meaning bouquet of flowers, his chandeliers had many arms, flowers, garlands and leaves.
Murano chandeliers have had many collectors throughout the ages including Kings, Queens, Popes, Generals and Ambassadors and are enjoyed by many people today, they were used in theatres, palaces and stately homes before also being used in smaller settings.
For more information on the history of Murano Chandeliers and Venetian Glass
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