Why commission rather than buy
Murano is still where much of the world’s finest art glass is made: chandeliers, lamps, vases, mirrors, tableware and architectural pieces. Buying from a shop is easy. Commissioning is different: a hotel needs 200 identical wall lights, an architect wants a chandelier designed for one room, a brand wants a limited series in its own colours. That means working directly with a furnace, and that is where buyers abroad tend to struggle.
How the island works
Most glassmaking on Murano is done by small, often family-run firms, each with its own furnace (fornace) and a master (maestro) who leads the team. Each tends to specialise:
- Blown glass (soffiato): vases, lamp shades, chandelier arms and bowls, shaped by the maestro at the furnace.
- Lampwork (a lume): small, detailed pieces worked at a flame, such as beads and figures.
- Murrine and filigree: patterns built from canes of coloured glass, slow and highly skilled.
- Fused and cast glass: panels, tiles and sculptural pieces made in kilns.
- Mirrors and engraving: Venetian mirrors with engraved and bevelled glass.
A furnace that makes perfect blown vases may not be the right one for a 3-metre chandelier, and the reverse. The first job is matching the piece to the maker.
Real Murano glass and imitations
“Murano-style” glass made elsewhere is sold widely, including in Venice. The main safeguard is the Vetro Artistico® Murano collective mark, created under a Veneto regional law of 1994 and managed since 2001 by the Promovetro consortium. Member firms label their pieces with the mark and a number that identifies the producer.
Three things to know:
- The mark is voluntary. Some excellent furnaces do not use it, so its absence does not prove a piece is fake.
- A sticker alone is not proof. Check the producer number against the list of licensed firms published by the Veneto Region, and ask for a certificate tied to your order.
- The best proof is the visit. For a commission, see the furnace, meet the maestro and watch your sample being made.
- 01BriefWhat, how many, sizes, colours, budget and the date it must arrive.
- 02Furnace visitsTwo or three makers whose technique fits the piece.
- 03Drawings and quoteDimensions, tolerances, price per piece, lead time.
- 04SampleOne piece, or a colour test, approved before production starts.
- 05ProductionMade by hand in batches. Expect natural variation.
- 06InspectionChecked against the approved sample before packing.
- 07Crating and shippingWooden crates, insurance and the export papers.
Allow for the August closure: many furnaces stop for two to four weeks.
Running a commission
The brief
Be precise about what you need: drawings or references, dimensions, colours (ideally with physical samples or codes), quantity, where the piece will be installed, and the date it must arrive. For lighting, add the voltage, the bulb type and the certifications required in the destination country.
Choosing the maker
Visit two or three furnaces with the brief in hand. Ask to see similar work they have made, how many pieces they can produce per week, and who else is involved: many chandeliers are made by several workshops, one for the glass, one for the metal frame, one for the electrical parts and assembly.
Drawings, quote and tolerances
Handmade glass is never perfectly identical. Agree in writing what variation in size and colour is acceptable, how the approved sample will be used as the reference, and what happens to pieces outside it. The quote should state the price per piece, the sample cost, the lead time, payment terms and what is included in packing.
The sample
Always pay for a sample or a colour test before production. It costs time and money, but it is far cheaper than 200 lamps in the wrong green.
Lead times
Samples usually take a few weeks. Production can take from a few weeks to several months, depending on the piece and the furnace’s order book. Many furnaces close for two to four weeks in August, and the weeks before Christmas are busy.
Lighting and electrical parts
A chandelier is an electrical product in the country where it is installed. For the EU it needs CE marking; other markets have their own rules. Make clear who is responsible for the electrical parts and the certification, the furnace or a specialised assembler.
Packing and shipping
Glass travels in custom wooden crates, each piece wrapped and fixed. Insure the shipment for its full value and agree who bears the risk at each stage. For buyers outside the EU, the furnace invoices without Italian VAT as an export and the goods clear customs at destination. Large chandeliers are often shipped disassembled with numbered parts and assembly instructions, sometimes with a technician to install them.
Questions to ask every maker
- Can I see pieces you have made of this type and size?
- Who makes each part, and where?
- What tolerance do you guarantee on size and colour?
- How many pieces a week, and when could you start?
- What happens if a piece breaks in production or in transit?
- Do you use the Vetro Artistico® Murano mark, and can you certify the order?
Where a local representative helps
The difference between a good and a disappointing commission is usually made on the island: finding the right maestro, seeing the sample in daylight next to the reference, checking the production batch before it is crated. A representative in Venice can visit furnaces with your brief, compare quotes, attend the sample, follow production, inspect the pieces before packing and coordinate the shipper, with photographs and a short report at each step.