To know collectible antique glass you must understand how glass was made in the days from which your collectors clamor. Blown glass was made by molten glass placed on the end of a glass tube and blown up like you blow up a balloon. As it was being blown, it was shaped by various tools and when complete it was allowed to cool.

During the making of collectible antique glass bottles, a handle may be applied by pressing the molten glass shaped like the handle onto the jar once it started to cool. Occasionally this process resulted in a crack in the bottle, which does little to detract from the current value of a collectible antique glass.

During the fashioning of blown glass, a tool called a pontil rod was used to hold the glass while it was fashioned into the desired shape. In the end it was simply snapped off and may be polished clear, but the evidence of the pontil mark should still be visible and gives a general idea of age and value of collectible antique glass.

In later years glass objects were made of molded glass and many of those were counterfeits of original blown glass. To find modern molded glass masquerading as collectible antique glass there are a couple things to look for like the wear factor. Look at the bottom of the piece first to see if you can find the pontil rod scar and then look for wear marks. If there are marks where there shouldn’t be, it’s probably a fake.

Another hint is small irregularities in the top of the piece, indicating spill over as if too much molten glass had been poured into the mold. This would be a sign of shoddy workmanship, as would too many bubbles in the glass. Although, even in quality blown glass a few bubbles may appear, but in the cheaper reproductions it won’t take long to find them.

Perhaps your first step in buying collectible antique glass should be the purchase of a collectible antique glass magazine or book. It will usually identify the collection trends and help lead you on the right collectible path.

Murano is a small island just north of Venice and it has been the undisputable capital of Venetian glass for ages. Murano glass is a famous handmade glass product that originates from the island of Murano, where it has been handcrafted for years. Murano made its name as a commercial port just off the shore of Venice in Italy as far back as during the 7th century. Murano is regarded as an excellent tourist destination for lovers of fine art and handcrafted jewellery for good reason.

For centuries, the glassmakers in Murano held a monopoly on all quality glass and glassmaking. These master artisans refined a number of popular glassmaking technologies for the creation of handmade jewellery, including glass with threads of gold, milk glass, multi colored glass, and imitation gemstones crafted from glass. These age old techniques are still being employed as Murano glass handmade jewellery is crafted into stunning contemporary art.

Murano glass handmade jewellery was massively produced in the 50s and 60s for the purpose of exporting to other countries as gifts and for tourists. The processes used to create these stunning glass gifts is still being employed as the popularity for painstakingly crafted handmade jewellery continues to grow.

Because Murano glass handmade jewellery cannot be massively produced, but rather employs painstakingly complex glassmaking techniques, each piece of Murano glass jewellery is one of a kind and makes for an incredible gift. Anyone who appreciates the gift of handmade jewellery will appreciate what it means to own a handcrafted piece of stunning Murano art glass jewellery.

That is because no two pieces of art glass jewellery from the island of Murano are the same, and each piece is handcrafted using age old traditions that were cultivated and mastered by the finest glass artisans that the world had ever seen at the time that Murano art glass became such a sought after commodity. Anyone scouting for the best gifts to give for special occasions will be thrilled to find that there is a style of Murano glass handmade jewellery to suit all tastes and styles.

Murano art glass handmade jewellery is crafted using high quality glass and melting agents called flux. Glass is shaped and molded on rods over a flame or torch and slowly manipulated to create highly detailed and truly unique gifts in the form of pendants, beads and other jewellery elements. The colors, styles, materials and techniques used in Murano art glass handmade jewellery can vary significantly depending on what look the master glassmaker is hoping to create.

Popular styles for Murano glass handmade jewellery gifts include millefiori, filigree, enamel painted, engraved, lattimo, gold engraved, incalmo, ribbed glass and submersion glass. Each of these styles creates a completely different and unique piece of handmade jewellery, and because each is crafted by hand, no two could ever be created alike. Murano jewelry is world-famous and has been exported all over the world for years. Whether you are looking for an unusual pendant, a pair of beautiful earrings, or any other stylish piece of jewelry, by buying Murano glass you create a unique and beautiful look that will impress everyone around you.