Miniature Masterpieces: Mosaic Glass 1838-1924

Rating:
Summary: An invaluable reference for artists working with hot glass.
Review: The photos alone in this book are worth the $75 purchase price. There are hundreds of examples of murrine shown, varying from simple & complex glass canes (such as those used in millefiori paperweights) to fabulous little glass portraits of famous people of various eras. The pictures in this book are so clear that even if this book was the first edition, published in Italian, a reader could still use the information to improve their cane-making skills. The text discusses the origins of glass and the histories of the great Italian glass houses up to 1924. The careers of a number of individual workers are followed, with many examples of work from various periods in their lives. The construction and assembly of glass canes is explained, with lavish examples of the various components used to create both "complex" and "portrait" canes. All in all, at $75 this book is a bargain for anyone seriously interested in pursuing this aspect of glass art.