I collect Empoli glass genie bottles and other art glass from Empoli. I plan to visit the art museum in Empoli but wondered if the shops in the area are going to be chock-full of that type of vintage glass. Empoli is within an hour of Florence, so does the great Florence are have a lot of vtg Empoli glass?
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Washington DC
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I'm a fellow glass lover. I cannot remotely answer your question, but I'm sharing this (from notes for trip that hasn't happened yet) in case it is slightly helpful:
One online resource referred to Forte dei Marmi as “the Beverly Hills of Italy.” (I think it is/was popular with wealthy Russians.) Forta dei Marmi is a coastal town just north of Viareggio and south of La Spezia. It's not a quaint town at all, but it seems to have markets offering quality goods, antique or otherwise. Perhaps some online research would be worth the time expended.
There is supposedly an antique market in Piazza Dante on the second Sunday of the month and the previous Saturday. It runs approximately 9 AM to 5:30 PM October to May. In the summer months (June-September) if is 9 AM to midnight on Saturday and 9 AM to 9 PM on Sunday. (Obviously, those hours are a bit hard to believe).
The weekly outdoor market on Piazza Guglielmo Marconi "is considered Italy’s best". Quality artisan products are reported in such categories as clothing, bags, shoes, cashmere, jewelry and textiles. "Designer goods at discount prices." This market is supposedly held Wednesday and Sunday from Easter till the end of either September or October. The rest of the year it's only on Wednesday. Hours are probably roughly 8 AM to 1:30 PM.
On a previous trip I stumbled upon the large antiques fair in Arezzo. I believe it's still running the first Sunday of the month and the previous Saturday. I don't recall seeing a great deal of glass there, but I wasn't specifically looking for Empoli glass or any other kind.