Special Guest at Alaska Bead Society Meeting ~ Cavalier Luigi Cattelan

A cross section of lampworked cane.

These are heated, stretched out and poked to make beads.

A selection of Murano artist Luigi Cattelan's rosetta beads, commonly known as chevrons in the US

Beads and ephemera mixed. How I would love to have one of these cards!

Priced at $1000 I had to be satisfied taking a picture.

Some Murano millefiore  (many flowers) beads from the 20's.

I had to have one of the blue ones for my collection.

I also picked up some 1800's "gooseberry" beads from his collection along with one of his contemporary rosettas. 

Mmm precioussssss! Wants to have one for my pocketses.

New chevrons by Luigi Cattelan

on top of beads that he finished from old cane from the factory

Cavalier Luigi Cattelan

 The 1800's "Gooseberries"

 1920's millefiore bead

One of Luigi's contemporary chevron's that I'm bringing home.

We were fortunate to have Anchorage Bead Shack owner Laura Watne bring master glassworker Luigi Cattelan to our Anchorage Bead Society meeting this month. I happened to be in Anchorage (a mere 6 hours from my home) being sandwiched between two bead shows that I am participating in. I considered myself fortunate to be in town for the presentation of this special guest.


 Laura had looked him up on her visit to Murano and was able to get a first hand look and comprehensive story on the history of the Murano glass factories. His family of glassworkers goes back 500 years or so on the island of Murano near Venice, Italy. 


 For a more in depth Bead & Button article on the history of his family and his craft you can view a pdf  here.