Murano Glass Chandelier Purchase Advice

You will need more than one day to do that. Like buying any art work. You need to look and compare and look again. I would take some pictures with you of the space you intend for the chandelier and the surround furniture so you can see how things work together. Obviously, the vendor should arrange shipping and insurance. It is coming a long ways.

all measurements of the room. especially height, but length and width are crucial to figure out the right size. Also, what will be under it-dining room set, piano, round silk bed, whatever.

Because these are high-end products, I am inclined to believe that they use reputable packers and shippers. But you are shipping something very fragile to ... ... ? (Please add your country to your profile so it shows in your signature.) Even if the insurance pays, you will be very sad if a memento of your honeymoon gets broken.

You got two very good replies. This is not a casual purchase. It also puzzles me that you are spending only one day of your honeymoon in one of the most romantic cities of Europe, and you're going to spend it indoors, shopping. I wonder if you know that the actual workshops ON the island of Murano compete vigorously for high-end customers. We were solicited (and indeed, I felt the same fear as when you are invited to a Time-Share presentation by a resort hotel !) to get a free speedboat ride to Murano and back, a guided tour of a factory, and shopping time in their showroom. This worked out fine, and nobody forced us to buy anything (and we didn't.)

The point is, you are wise to ask for advice, but you two sound like you may turn out to be what automobile dealers in the U.S.A. call a Barefoot Pilgrim, which means a victim begging to be taken advantage of. Sorry if that sounds harsh, I just wanted to use the analogy. I don't know you at all.

Thank you for the responses so far!

Unfortunately, we only have one day to spend in Venice. To give a little bit of back story, we are getting married in Tuscany (and honeymooning on the amalfi coast) and we were not planning on going to Venice at all. We decided to fly to Venice (we have both been before) because Venice is near the city that she lived in when she studied in Italy (we are from the US). We also thought it would be nice for one day to take a few boat rides and shop for a chandelier. My fiance knows what she is looking for as far as size and style goes so i am hoping to narrow our search before we head out there.

I appreciate the harsh words (i know you only give them because my original post makes me sound like a typical dumb consumer) but don't worry we had no intentions of telling the sellers that we are only there for one day and no intention on telling them we have to buy something right away at whatever price they want. My original intention for the post was to hear from those who have purchased a chandelier in the past and have a few tips for negotiating shipping charges and general haggling. Also, i would love to do as much research as possible on the studio's before going so that we can narrow our search down before we even arrive. If anyone has any galleries that they recommend, i would love to hear about it!

I would love to spend days enjoying the different art/glass studios but the reality is, we only have one day.

Thanks again for the replies, keep them coming!

I'd be looking for some reviews on line of people who have done this. You want to be sure that what you are unwrapping at home is what you bought. I have heard of people finding that the high end stuff they thought they bought is not what arrived. You want to be sure you are dealing with an honest dealer.

I wouldn't spend my honeymoon shopping either -- BUT it is your trip and you should absolutely do what you want to do including having a keepsake that will thrill you for years to come -- but I agree it isn't a one day proposition. I would also pre shop in the US (or wherever your home country is). Look at Venetian glass chandeliers in US high end lighting shops so you know what they cost here and what is quality. It doesn't matter if you get a bargain (unlikely) but it does matter if you get inferior stuff or get majorly cheated.

My husband and I bought our wedding rings in Florence (in our 33rd year of marriage). It wasn't our first trip to Florence and we had looked at rings there and the US before so when we found the rings we chose, we knew the value, the uniqueness and that the price was reasonable. I have never seen anything like the ones we got and we love them. We ended up getting them from a very high end jeweler we thought we couldn't afford but they had wonderful wedding rings that we could afford and they were lovely to deal with. But the first time we looked at Florentine gold we were pretty clueless and the pre-shopping really helped us know what we were looking at.

Our hotel provided us with a complimentary water taxi ride and tour of the Bisanzio Gallery in Murano. Saw a glass blower in action and took a tour of their gallery. Very beautiful stuff from €5 to >€20,000. Lots of chandeliers. No high pressure sale tactics. I think the high end stuff will be discounted 20-40% off of the sticker price (i cannot recall exact percentage quoted by salesperson because i did not buy anything) and included insured delivery back to North America. We enjoyed the tour and would recommend. There were other glass factories nearby if you want to check out other chandeliers, but one was enough for us.

You might take a look at the websites of some of the vetrerie to see what their chandeliers look like. Most have photos on their website, like this one from Seguso Viro:

http://seguso.com/glass/lighting/#filter=.chandelier

No prices, though. I did see prices for chandeliers on the website for the other Seguso vetreria, Vetreria Artistica Archimede Seguso, at www.aseguso.com; one in cobalt blue is around €3200 and the other, presumably larger one is €6300.

Both Seguso vetrerie claim to carry on the heritage and traditions of the master, Archimede Seguso. His two sons Gino and Giampaolo fell into feuding over the name, so there are now two Seguso studios. Which is the "real" one? I couldn't say, but we were intrigued enough to visit the display room for Seguso Viro, and found their glass pieces to be elegant and beautiful, with astronomical prices.

I think you can find reviews of and complaints about some of the glass studios on Tripadvisor, and it would be well worth looking. I recall seeing complaints about one that delayed and delayed in shipping the item, always with excuses. I would definitely avoid any that offer a "free" water taxi ride to Murano and tour of their glassblowing studio. Take the vaporetto.

Example of reviews---this one is not recommended!

http://www.tripadvisor.co.nz/Attraction_Review-g681249-d6210382-Reviews-Vetreria_Ducale-Murano_Veneto.html#REVIEWS

Be sure to measure your room in metres, and check what weight your ceiling can support in Kilogrammes.
A shop in Italy is unlikely to be familiar with US units. But, as your wife-to-be speaks Italian she is probably familiar with metric units.
Also, check the electrical fittings are compatable with US supply. I do not know if US and European lightbulb mountings are the same. At the very least you will have to replace the lightbulbs with ones for US 110V.

Enjoy your honeymoon.

Stay away from the stores around San Marco (but you probably know that already) because EVERYTHING is more expensive in that area. Try the areas around Dorsoduro.

Speaking of electrical specifications, the wiring should be considered. Is the glass shop is familiar with US voltage? Since European voltage is twice the US, the wire size could be too small. It will have to carry twice the amperage of the European standard. Even then, I'd have an electrician take a look at it when you got it home and before mounting.

We bought a vase and a few other items from the shop of master glass blower Diego Vidal while we were on Murano. I went to Murano with the idea that I would like to buy a vase, but not if I didn't find the right thing. Many of the shops of course had beautiful things, but they seemed impersonal. We stopped in his shop and his wife immediately was very friendly. One of the first things she said to us was that it didn't matter so much if we didn't buy something there, just wherever we might buy, to make sure it had the official Murano seal. There are many knockoffs. Diego Vidal happened to be in the shop that day, a Saturday, and he was helpful as well. I had my items shipped because we were at the beginning of a three week trip with backpacks for luggage. They were shipped on the day we agreed upon, were vey carefully wrapped, and arrived within a few days of being shipped.
The website is in Italian and is www.artedv.eu. The contacts page has the street address and email.

Okay...you made me Google. Here is a chandelier available thru Anthropologie. When you click on the one review, seems is comes in pieces that need to be assembled (which my spouse would love..seriously....the assembly, not the chandelier), and I would guess is packed that way for safe shipping from Italy. But, the person reviewing said the instructions were in Italian (your wife would come in handy). But, I'm sending this not because I think you will fall in love with this one (but you might), but so you can see the price point of an already-in-the-US one. And, I would trust Anthropologie that it really is from Italy.

http://www.anthropologie.com/anthro/product/29931284.jsp?color=040&cm_mmc=Google-_-PLA-_-Lighting-_-Lighting&adpos=1o1&creative=68388354924&device=c&matchtype=&network=g&gclid=CPT13Yqbx8YCFUUkgQodlNQATw#/

Hope you find exactly what you are looking for in Venice. Purchases like that can be such special, happy additions to a home :) And, if you do purchase one, once you negotiate your price, be sure to take photos of the shopkeeper, the outside of the shop, the workers blowing glass, both of you standing under the piece, etc. ....... all those pix you will wish you had years ago, when you are telling your grandkids about when you purchased it....or even next year when you have friends over for dinner :)

Safe travels.

I have found Burano to have beautiful and unique glass pieces, more artisan studios than mass producers.

We bought our Murano glass from Atmosfera Veneziana, between Piazza San Marco and Campo San Luca. Unfortunately, no chandelier because we have no place for one but numerous vases, wine glasses, glass birds, etc

Here are some examples.

Hi. In November 2005, I participated in an RS tour - 7 days in Venice. As part of our activities, we visited Murano, specifically Linea Mazzuccato. I admit I was bowled over by a lamp my electrician calls "gaudy". The salesman saw me gaping and followed me around, and yes, closed the deal. I did not come prepared for this and suffered almost immediate buyer's remorse. The tour guide talked me down from my panic. The lamp arrived in February 2006. It was packed well and wired for the US. One hanging cluster of fruit was chipped. I took a photo, and they sent me a replacement. They also threw in a few extra hanging pendants.

My lamp is technically called a plafonierre. It hangs, but is not so much a pendant as a bowl shaped lamp with many colorful fruit clusters and swags and beads - gaudy. The salesman asked the size of the room for which I intended this, and it all worked out.

My take-aways are 1) even rash decisions can turn out, and 2) try not to make such expensive purchases in future without more considered thought - if only to save myself from possible stress. The dealer was professional in arranging for shipping and in replacing small parts. Of course, the dealer was looking to make a sale and pursued an interested party - me.

It sounds like you already have some ideas in mind, so will not be taken by surprise by this purchase as I was. You may wish to google Linea Mazzacuto to see what types are for sale there. I did not see my lamp when I googled them just now.

Best. Debbie

Not sure about what style you are interested in or might be able to direct you better. One studio (for classic styles like rezzonico) is Seguso Gianni. Because i work in "soft" glass (the type used in Murano), I have made the acquaintance of some Murano glass workers and tool makers, but most of the folks I know work in smaller forms. Also, make sure that whatever you do decide to purchase has the Vetro Artistico Murano stamp (there are some shops selling cheap Chinese knock offs to unsuspecting tourists).

And remember, they really mean no returns.

Thank you all for your replies. Since I last responded, I have checked out several chandelier shops in the States. I also have a list of shops to check out, the day we have to spend in Venice. Thank you all for the advice and the recommendations.