Courtesy of Barovier&Toso
Few brands that are still in existence today can date themselves back before the Italian Renaissance, but Murano, Italy-based lighting company, Barovier&Toso, is one such brand. Founded in 1295 by the Barovier family, the company leaves a legacy as storied and prestigious as its 700-year-history.
The original company, as founded by the Baroviers, cemented itself in the early 15th century when the Italian Renaissance was in full-swing. Angelo Barovier, known as "The Elder," was a true Renaissance man and channeled his passion for art and science into revolutionary—and beautiful—new glassmaking techniques. One of his crowning achievements was the development of cristallino, or clear, glass, which was such a pure and transparent glass that the he was granted an exclusive patent by the Republic of Venice. His fame in the glass industry was akin to Michelangelo's or Leonardo Da Vinci's in the realms of sculpture and painting.