Murano glass jewelry pampers the skin according to an advertising brochure by the manufacturer. In his collection by the name of „Osmosi“ (osmosis), by designer Emmanuel Babled, glass and marble cling to one another owing to the means of production. The molten glass is first blown by a glassblower and subsequently scanned. The negative shape is then routed out of the stone.
The two pieces thus fit exactly into one another to the point of holding together without the aid of screws, clamps or adhesives. The sheer mass is, of course, a factor in holding the pieces in position. The Murano glass used here is thick-walled and heavy, as is the marble by nature.
The impression that the pieces lean toward one another is intensified by the fact that the design challenges feasibility: the glass form is introduced just far enough into the stone to avoid any overlapping allowing for easy separation of the elements.
Since each glass element is hand crafted and unique, each and every piece in the Osmosi-Collection, too, is unique. In the press material, Babled draws the analogy to the story of poor Cinderella whose lost slipper didn’t fit the stepsisters but was a perfect fit for her.
The lamps are a miniature variety: thread in flange hold the glass shade in place.
The glass elements are produced by Venini furnace of Murano north of Venice. The stone is worked by Testi Fratelli Company near Verona. A variety of stone types are available.
Emmanuel Babled was born in France and studied at the Istituto Europeo di Design in Milan. He has been living near Amsterdam for a number of years where Studio Babled & Co is based.
Photos: Nicole Marnati
(13.01.2014, USA: 01.13.2014)
(13.01.2014, USA: 01.13.2014)
