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The Golden Book of Families from Murano

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The Golden Book of Families from Murano
1 May 2019

Each family mentioned in the Golden Book has its own family crest painted on the walls of the great hall in Giustiniani Palace, seat of the Glass Museum in our days.

The Golden Book was created in 1605 as an authentic register of the true-born families in Murano. Since 1275 a chief magistrate (Podestà), tasked by the Duke of Venice, had ruled over The “Magnificent Community in Murano” and now he was supported by the Council of Murano, whose members could only be from the original Murano’s families. They could use the title of “glass producers and glass makers” and could coin “oselle” (ancient gold or silver coins) with their own crest and their own name on it.

So, the families who were registered in the Golden Book could take part in the Council, practice the glassworking art, perform public duties and coin their own oselle

Together with Venice, Murano was the only entity inside the dominions of the Serenissima Republic that had licence to issue its own money

Even our Barbini family is inside the Golden Book. Our coat of arms represents two wise men admiring a comet in a blue background. Now as it was then, glass tradition is an intrinsic characteristic of our family and every day since ages we have aimed at keeping Murano glass art unchanged.