In 2015 when we began talking about traveling to Venice we agreed it would be nice to set aside a day to see Murano, Burano, and Torcello. I especially wanted to see Murano, because of the glass making.
In the 13th century, Venetian glass was one of the most desired luxury products in Europe. Glass making called for very hot furnaces which put Venice at risk for fires. Venice countered this risk by moving their glassmakers to the “island’ of Murano. Venetian glassmakers were so respected that they were given special privileges and allowed to marry their daughters into aristocratic families. Of course, Venice didn’t want these gifted artisans to take their skills to other cities, so they were forbidden to leave Venice on pain of death.
The shop that I wanted to see most on Murano was that of Marina and Susana Sent. I love jewelry, I love statement necklaces. I learned that the Sent sisters were known for their “soap bubble” necklaces, necklaces composed of clear glass bubbles.
Naturally, when we got off the vaporetto we went straight to the Sent sisters workshop. It was closed. Did I mention that we traveled in August, a month when many Europeans take their vacations? I was disappointed but there were other shops open selling beautiful things, and I bought a pretty red and black necklace. I was happy with the necklace I bought, but it wasn’t a “soap bubble” necklace.
Flash forward to October 2016. Jesse and Mindy came to New Hampshire to attend a family wedding. We decided to take a few days and go to New York City. While in New York we went to the MoMA. There, in their gift shop, were “soap bubble” necklaces made by the Sent sisters. At last, I was able to buy the necklace (and earrings) that I wanted.
We went back to Murano in August 2018. We went to a lot of shops, saw glass being blown, bought souvenirs, admired a beautiful piece of art called Cometa di Vetro that we hadn’t seen before, but we still haven’t been inside the workshop of the Sent sisters. Maybe we should travel in June.
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