What is Murano glass famous for?

Murano glass is famous for hand-made Venetian glass produced on Murano Island near Venice. Murano glass gained world fame during the late 1200s after Venetian rulers moved glass furnaces from Venice to Murano in 1291, as city leaders feared fire in Venice, since many buildings used wood at that time. Murano glass became linked with wealth, trade, and royal courts across Europe, as Venetian traders sold Murano goblets, mirrors, beads, chandeliers, and animal sculptures from Spain to the Ottoman Empire.

Some Murano mirrors from the 1600s sold for prices close to the cost of a small ship. Murano masters guarded production secrets for centuries and a glassmaker could face prison for leaving Venice with trade knowledge and records from the Venetian Republic show special legal status for Murano families tied to glass work. Murano glass stands out for gold leaf decoration, millefiori patterns, lattimo milk glass, plus crystal-clear cristallo glass. Collectors still search for pieces from famous houses such as Venini, Barovier & Toso, Seguso, and Salviati.