Murano Glass Repairs

From: Murano, the Glass Island
 

LEFT: Murano glass bottles from different eras.

Repairing and restoring Murano glass

I often get e-mails from readers who want me to repair, replace, or make replicas of their broken glassware, light fixtures, and other objects from Murano. Sorry, folks, but I'm not a glassmaker, a Murano glass dealer, or even a glass collector, and I don't play one on TV or YouTube.

If you're looking for an item to replace a broken glass object, your best bet is to visit Murano (or Venice) and find a substitute that you like even better. The island and city are dotted with glass galleries, shops, and factory showrooms that offer goods in every price range, so it's unlikely that you'll go home empty-handed.

If you must have an item repaired, or if you insist on commissioning a replica, I'd suggest contacting the original supplier or reading one of the books described on this article's tourist information and books page to find a vendor that handles that type of item and accepts custom orders. (For example, The Comprehensive Guide to the Island of Murano lists specialized vendors such as Idea Murano, which stocks traditional 19th Century-style Murano chandelier parts and can reproduce missing pieces.)

Another possibility is to contact an antique dealer or the glass curator at a museum to find a restorer within your own country. (In the U.S., you could try Giovanni Nason's Glass and Crystal Restoration Center of Potomac, Maryland, whose owner comes from a Murano glassmaking family.)

Warning: Restoration or custom replacement won't come cheap, so you might be better off buying a substitute on eBay if your object isn't valuable and you're strapped for cash.

Next page: More Murano pictures

Top photo copyright © Cesco19.
Inset photo copyright © Alejandro Mojo.

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