Authentic Murano Glass Accent Beads
Posted by VBS on 10/16/2011
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Beads
Making Murano Accent Beads20 Years ago we used to buy small accent beads produced in Venice. They were great, since they were the same Murano Glass, they matched perfectly. Our customers loved them.
One of the patriarchs of Venetian Beads loved boasting how many he could produce a day - sadly, when he could no longer work, the machines lay idle and we had no more authentic Murano accent beads.
The machines originated in the 1960s from Germany and were built specifically for 2 companies (one in Murano and one in Venice). Because of the secrecy of the bead industry, neither of the companies knew the other had purchased the machines. Only the clever salesmen from Germany knew !
They had upwards of 40 flames (little torches) which melted the glass around a copper thread, a mechanical version of our lampworkers. Long tubes of Murano Glass fed down into the flames.
The kinds and sizes of the beads produced depended on the skill of the worker.
I loved the bicolor bicones which always had one size of aventurina.
Our rebirth of the authentic Murano Glass Beads has not yet perfected this style, but I am hoping!
Kewep working on it please!! Good job on finding this vintage machine.
