Orsoni Italian Smalti

Orsoni smalti has been handcrafted by the Angelo Orsoni family in Venice, Italy since 1888. Smalti is the traditional handmade glass used in the mosaics of medieval and Renaissance Europe.  Smalti is NOT molded into uniform shapes like modern glass mosaic tile. Smalti is made by mixing glass and metal oxides according to traditional recipes and melting the mixture in a furnace. The molten glass is then poured onto a slab for cooling, and then cut by hand into rectangular pieces. The small hand-made batches result in natural variations in shape and color, which allow the artist to create beautiful life-like images.

• Opaque glass mosaic tiles made according to traditional recipes in small batches.
• Natural variations in shape and color for life-like mosaics.
• Each tile is hand-cut, NOT molded like modern glass mosaic tiles.
• Shapes are irregular rectangles with occasional triangles.
• Dimensions vary roughly around 5/8 x 3/8 x 1/4 in
• To cover one square foot, you need between two and three pounds.
• 3 pounds will cover 1 square foot with no gaps and some scrap allowed.
• Cuts quickly and easily with the Mosaic Glass Cutters that we sell.

Orsoni smalti can be used with other types of smalti and mosaicmaterials.