Murano

The early history of your Murano glass is a fascinating tale of an art form reclaimed from the ashes of history. Glass blowing became common throughout the Roman Empire but fell into disuse after the collapse of the empire in 476 CE. The art was revived hundreds of years later in the Italian community of Venice, when a Benedict monk named Fiolario begin blowing small glass vials.None of Folario's early glass vials survive to this day, although historians know they exist from trade records and pictures. Other artisans picked up the craft, however, and Venice became a center for glass blowing. These artisans borrowed extensively from the work of the Syrians, Egyptians, and other Middle Eastern nations.In the year 1291, a local magistrate named Doge Tiepolo declared the island of Murano to be an industrial glassmaking area. Murano gained great importance as an artistic and economic center, and families of Venice and Murano celebrated the region's success by developing the 'oselle' icon.The early treasures of the Murano region have largely been lost to history. However, shards of glasses and small token pieces from pre-1291 remain. Collectors value all glass vessels, ornaments, or other pieces produced by the island of Murano prior to the 1400s, before the glass masters designated the rules of glass blowing (otherwise known as the 'Mariegole della arte dei verieri de Muran'). Even pieces from the post-1450 era can fetch thousands of dollars at auction, provided that they're in good condition.