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Murano Glass - Blue Ball - Limited Edition
Murano glass is glass made on the Venetian island of Murano in Italy. It has specialised in fancy glasswares for centuries.
Murano's glassmakers led Europe for centuries, developing and refining many technologies including crystalline glass, enamelled glass (smalto), glass with threads of gold (aventurine), multicolored glass (millefiori), milk glass (lattimo), and imitation gemstones made of glass.
Today, the artisans of Murano are still employing these centuries-old techniques, crafting everything from contemporary art glass and glass figurines to Murano glass chandeliers and of course wine stoppers.
The Murano glass is made up of 70% silica sand, added to a 30% of other substances called "fluxes" and "stabilizers" (soda and lime). These added "fluxes" allows the glass to be melted at a lower temperature, and the "stabilizers" prevent the glass's solubility in water. The more sodium oxide present in the glass, the slower it solidifies. This is important for hand-working because it allows the glassmaker more time to shape the material.
The various raw materials that an artisan might add to a glass mixture are sodium (to make the glass surface opaque), nitrate and arsenic (to eliminate bubbles) and coloring or opacifying substances.
Colors, techniques and materials vary depending upon the look a glassmaker is trying to achieve. Aquamarine is created through the use of copper and cobalt compounds, whereas ruby red uses a gold solution as a coloring agent.
The tools for glass-blowing have changed little over the centuries and remain simple. An old Murano saying goes "Good tools are nice, but good hands are better", reinforcing the artistic nature of the glass-making process, which relies on the skill of the worker rather than the use of special tools.
This is a Limited Edition, One Off, Hand Crafted Wine Stopper
Country of Origin: Italy |
