Monster of a Fireplace...I've never seen anything like it!
jcomama
11 years ago
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jcomama
3 years agojcomama
3 years agoRelated Discussions
Murano Glass - Pricing explained ?
Comments (18)Hi Chookchook. I relation to your question about reproduction Murano Glass that is flooding the market, almost 99% of them originate from China. You will also find that almost ALL Chandeliers that claim to be Murano Glass that originate from China are hand painted and baked PYREX (a glass substitute) which is then sold off as MURANO GLASS. It is ILLEGAL to call a product that does not originate from or has not been made in Venice MURANO GLASS. You can call it "MURANO STYLE" but nothing else. Unfortunately, there are thousands of Chinese knockoffs claiming to be murano glass that are simply PYREX which has been spray painted then baked. This is why when you see a product advertised as MURANO GLASSf that seems to cheap to be true - this is why. Also, they MASS PRODUCE each and every Chandelier as almost every segment is blown into a mold, not mouth blown. If you look at a true piece of mouth blown glass, you will see what we call RIPPLE LINES which is where the glass expands and grows during the blowing process, very similar to ripples on a pond when a stone hits the waters surface. Also, you may see irregular randomly placed air bubbles in the glass which is not a defect, but a sure sign that what you are buying is indeed mouth blown. You will also find that the Chinese NEVER use REAL GOLD in their Chandeliers or any other item, only genuine MURANO GLASS used 24 Kt gold leaf which is rolled into the glass in the very initial stages of production. You will however find that Chinese do you a technqiue called AVVENTURINE which is where copious amount of Copper flecks are blown into the glass. The MURANO masters also use this technique but the quaility if EXCEPTIONAL, unlike the Chinese knock-offs. ALL products that we make originate in Venice and carry one or more of the following to assure you of its authenticity 1. An acid etched or diamond point signature of either the furnace or the Maestro or both 2. An attached lablel which will be either a Vetro Artistico Murano (VAM) label of the furnace or a PROMOVETRO CONSORZIO MURANO label 3. Depending on the furnace, an embossed Glass seal with each arm of the Chandelier signed an numbered 4. A certificate of Authenticity signed by and issued by the furnace who produced the Chandelier or any other item for that matter. As you can see, purchasing from any organisation who does not have a thorough understanding of and intimate knowledge of the furnaces in Venice, the techniques used by the Maestros and the various components and producton techniquesf that have been handed down through the centuries is leaving themselves open to huge financial risk If an item is being sold that is claiming to be AUTHENTIC MURANO GLASS, then the person you are purchasing MUST be able to provide you with a written legally enforacable guarantee, that certifies that what they are claiming to be murano glass can be traced back to a furnace and its origin confirmed. The Chinese WILL NOT do this as their products are PYREX, NOT glass so BUYER BEWARE. There is only 1 glass artist operating in China that has actually been trained in the use of just some of the techniques used by the Masters in Venice. Even he is not allowed to call his products MURANO GLASS but "MURANO IN STYLE". I trust this helps you understand exactly what you are dealing with when it comes to companies or individuals offering MURANO GLASS for sale. If they cannot prove it is indeed authentic and can provide backup documentation to support this, then DO NOT buy unless you really love it purely for its asthetic value. Being the largest Murano Glass delaer in the world, your only safety net when purchasing anything claiming to be MURANO GLASS is to do so through someone like us who provides you with a 100% ironclad guarantee of what has been mentioned above. Best regards Dean...See MoreNeed help painting my vanity
Comments (27)@turner3477 YIKES! You already had the "aged look" and a very unique timber cabinet. wherever did you get it? I still think this trend of "paint it black or paint it black and white or paint it white is a psychological dilemma where people don't know how to use colour or are scared of it...or are afraid that they will not be "en trend" and keep up with the "Joneses". Don't mean to insult anyone's sensibilities but its how it looks and feels to me...everything old and genuine and beautiful being veneered to look trendy and plasticky. I'd be delighted to find a timber cabinet like that one as opposed to the the painted white version....and if I was at all tempted to investigate the white one to see what it was made of, my first instinct would be to have a feel and a scratch of that lovely decorative carved frieze above the benchtop....to see if it were made of a plastic mould and just stuck on. Sad to say this but what you have made of this cabinet is "what I call " fashionable fake". One redeeming feature though, whether it has any significance for you at this point in time is that at least under the paint, you know you have a genuine, solid timber cabinet that would have been worth something one day and maybe still will be when somebody, 30 yrs from now, recognises it for what it is and lovingly restores its genuine identity rather than mistaking it for junk and throwing it out to be replaced by the next lot of stage scenery. Wonder what the next "fashionable fake" will be made of when people have forgotten what solid timber and craftsmanship is? Don't know where you live....but would you like to sell me that cabinet at all ? I'd give it the life it deserves and I am sure you could find another one that would look every bit what you want to achieve in your space..(.In fact I could knock up a pretty good imitation replacement myself...not that I'd want it). I like watching` those antique shows in Britian where people bring old wares to be appraised and where antique dealers enter people's homes to buy collectables. It is on these programs that one learns the true value of the timeless pieces...some of which seem like old junk...but what surprises when what looks like junk turns out to be worth investing in! Apart from the above...enjoy your pristine French Provencale dream!...See MorePrivacy/frosted glass in a toilet door
Comments (33)Once again, thanks everyone for your thoughts. The idea of a skylight is definitely on the cards - the glass doors are something that we just like on all the other doors, with the toilet just being the question. Also, a skylight might be a bit beyond our DIY (sky-tube maybe less so?) and trade work down here takes time (I'm not just in Snowy Mountains rural, but then down a country road 25km, plus another 2km of uphill dirt driveway, and the trades don't always show willing) - things we can't do ourselves take time and frustration. What Maguire Architects says about heat loss is important to us though (thus the double-glazing, storage heaters, etc.), so I've particularly taken that on-board. As for IKEA (jajlynn, Belinda)... jajlynn, that kitchen looks fantastic. I love those overhead lights - they really suit the style. Brisbane IKEA did delivery to Sunshine Coast, but the cost was pretty exorbitant, and they wanted to charge that each time more of the ordered stock came in. It got so frustrating having an incomplete kitchen, waiting for stock, we eventually brow-beat them into sending the stuff from a Sydney store (something they were very unwilling to do, even transfers between stores). They sent whole cupboards by Australia Post, slathered in standard stamps - it was weird. But it got done, and it got put together. Before and afters below Belinda, I'll be honest with you: as much as the IKEA kitchen is better than the Mitre10 kitchen, instruction-wise, you're gonna swear. You're gonna have to paint over the blue when you're done. ;) Just remember, when you're swearing, and probably at each other (assuming there's an other here - otherwise, at yourself and everything else), but it's just a kitchen - you'll get it done, it'll look great, you'll be justly proud and you'll want to do your next one (maybe not straight away though ;) ). That's why we're doing stuff here straight away in the new house - it gave us confidence to do it or learn trying. Now if you'll all excuse me I've got to get back to swearing at pantry wall cabinets, at my partner, at Mitre10, at the government, at that thing over there whatever it is, and at cursed fate that placed these suddenly-discovered slightly-wonky walls between me and happiness. ;)...See MoreWould you like to raise chickens in your backyard?
Comments (25)We have a small inner-city backyard with three chooks. They live in a chicken tractor which we built to sit on top of our raised veggie beds. After a harvest is complete, the chooks clean up, till and fertilise the soil. They get let out to free range, and we throw any garden clippings in there, as well as all the food scraps from our kitchen (we have a toddler so there's no shortage of scraps). I buy pellets for $1.50/kg from our local pet wholesaler and they eat about a kilo per week. The coop is totally vermin/fox proof because it's on raised veggie beds, and it doesn't smell at all. It makes our veggie gardens much more productive, with very little work from us. Plus we get 2-3 eggs every day!...See Moresuezbell
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