Ercole Moretti, a century of Venetians BeaDs

A century of venetian pearls and glass handworks , make with the oxyhydrogen technique in one of the oldest and most famous Murano Factory, the “Ercole Moretti and Brothers”.

This years the factory celebrates its 100th Anniversary of activities.
In the museum on the 1st floor is it possible to admire some stunning works, such the Pearl Rosette (the most famous in the world), the Mosaic pearl, the “Millefiori” and the “Murrina”.
Here you can read a brief biography of “Ercole Moretti” and the history of the Venetians Beads.

The refined production of glass bead is an unbelievable and unexpected form of creativity: yesterday an object of exchange, today an original  decorative jewel.
The venetian beads trade left finds its origins  1338, when Venice sell a “paternosters di vitro” glass grain to Rosary crowns.

With the introduction of the “lume”  (oxyhydrogen ) technique the productions had an important increase, In  1672 a new corporation was born: “Arte dei Perleri” (Glass beads art) called “ supialume “  that literally means: producer of mouth blown empty objects.

After this increase, the venetian beads see a great season between the end of the 19th century and 1960,  during this period the  “conterie” and the Rosette beads are required in the colonies of the West Africa, America and India as goods of trade.

The activity of Ercole Moretti start in in 1911 in Murano with the productions of the “ Rosette Pearl” , the company, co founded by brothers Ercole and Norberto Moretti, after the great success of the “ Rosetta”, start the production of pearls “ millefiori”.

In the 1930 they introduced on the market necklaces made  with the grindstone  beads lately comes the Venetian pearls, shirt button or so called “ facked pearls” .

In 1960 they started the production of  hard stone imitations, mostly turquoises, rose quartz, topaz, and others.

1968 saw the birth of a little big invention: the “murrina”, made by a complex glass pearl composition into a copper flat profile.
This production become a flagship for the factory.

Ercole Moretti, a century of Venetians Beans
Until the 6th of January 2012
Glass Museum
Fondamenta Giustinian 8
30121 Murano
Phone: +39 041 739586
Fax: +39 041 739586
Info: museo.vetro@fmcvenezia.it
Web site : http://museovetro.visitmuve.it