Murano Glass - Glass blowing process

FIRST STAGE-COLOR PREPARATION

Glass is composed mainly of very pure silica sand that takes on its different colors with the addition of hourly common metal oxides. This compound, with very small additions of other substances, is melted at very high temperatures, turning into colored glass; the kind used by the master glassmakers of Fornace Mian.

Each color is characterized by a different oxide that determines its intensity based on the amount used.

In Murano, colors have always been made, and it is easy to say that from this island the world has learned how to use colored glass, stealing, in ancient times, the secrets of the Venetian glassworks.

SECOND STAGE - GLASS PROCESSING

Art glass, whether mouth-blown or handmade, requires working groups composed of a master plus three or four other people who specialize in the different stages of processing.

The master, the linchpin of the group, with his sensitivity and artistic skill blows or shapes the piece, always achieving the desired shape and size. Master glazier is not born but becomes with a Little aptitude, a lot of commitment and a good dose of pride that allows one to accumulate experience, stealing with the eyes the skills of other masters.

There are no schools that teach how to become a master, only the people who produce in the furnace are the Masters of the Art of Glassmaking.

THIRD STAGE - TEMPERING THE FINISHED OBJECT

The piece made by the master, still very hot, is introduced into the "tempera" (long belt cooling furnace).

Here the piece flows and cools slowly over many hours and comes out ready for further processing.

FOURTH STAGE - FINISHING IN THE MILL

Furnace-blown and tempered objects are taken to the Milling Department where they are cold-finished by expert grinders who proceed to polishing or other types of diamond wheel finishing.

Using various technologies, based on diamond wheels, the glass works thus become finished products ready to be signed and packaged in their gift or shipping box.