The Expensive Glass Item That You May Be Able To Get A Deal On At The Thrift Store

Thrifting can often produce beautiful treasures that might be rarer and more expensive finds than you imagine. Hand-blown glass, particularly the colorful shades and intricate patterns of Murano glass from Venice, can occasionally turn up on thrift store shelves at a steal compared to its high price on the collector's market. With a centuries-long history of glass manufacturing in Italy, these pieces can be found in all sorts of variations, from art glass sculptures and vessels to light fixtures and drinkware. They are definitely worth scooping up when you find them, whether you are looking to resell for profit or just to decorate your home. 

This unique glass gets its name from a small cluster of islands in the Venice lagoon that are linked by bridges. This made the islands an ideal locale for glassmaking since the high heat conditions of glassmaking would not prove a danger to the rest of the city. Early handmade glassmaking often created architectural details like tesserae for mosaics and church windows, but over time, artisans evolved to create both functional and decorative objects. Murano glassmakers perfected, and are associated with, the technique known as "murrina," which involves small glass beads that are used to provide patterning and color in the glassblowing process.

While not all Murano glass has patterning, the murrina method, and a particular design created by it called millefiori ("a thousand flowers"), can be used to identify genuine Murano glass, as can other markers like the bubbles and imperfections associated with handblown glass and makers' marks on the piece itself. Many have "Vetro Murano" somewhere on the piece or are signed by a particular glass artisan. As well, genuine Murano glass often has a heavier weight than modern reproductions.

Murano pieces are typically very colorful and created with a high level of detail. While there are many incarnations of Murano glass you can find, popular pieces you may find while thrifting include glass kitchen pieces like goblets and tumblers, candlestick holders, decorative glass bowls and vases, colorful glass candy, animal sculptures, and paperweights. If you're very lucky, you may even stumble on a luxe Murano vintage glass chandelier valued at several thousand dollars.

These Murano pieces, on the collectors market and online auction sites, can sell for anywhere between several hundred and several thousand dollars for larger and rarer pieces, like this stunning Hand-Blown Murano Barrel Vase in Emerald Green Tall, selling for upward of $3,400, and this Vintage Italian Murano Glass Cat Sculpture, available for $2,200. While stores that sell antiques and vintage handmade glass are obvious places to look for genuine Murano glass, you may just find a pair of wine glasses, a small animal sculpture, or a vase lingering for a steal on your local thrift store shelves. Though a centuries-old art form, Murano glass pieces are fast becoming a colorful new aesthetic trend in more maximalist spaces.