Like any popular italian product, also Murano chandeliers are reproduced abroad and sold around the world as real, it seems impossible,
but the quantity of these fakes represents the 80-90% of the total items sold.
Sudenly noone can steal the experience made in 1000 years by Murano masters; the result is a big damage for the final user.
The quality of these products is very poor,no 24 kt gold on any item, the lack of craftmanship is evident from the abundance of curls which are easy to make insted of sofphisticated flowers and leaves,the prices maybe low; we understand that some people prefer to invest small sums on lighting fittings,But remember: you get what you pay for: It is illegal and dishonest for some stores to tell the client that they are buying Murano glass notwithstanding the price they pay.There is a way to know if the store is telling you the truth: ask the name of the Murano factory where the item was made, the name of the master and a certificate,they may imitate also the certificates, so look for the factory phone number to ask if they made that specific chandelier.
Also, reproductions will rarely have some real gold on glass, some elements are suspiciously all the same and perfect, most of the colors are varnished and will wash off while cleaning, too much shining metal plating is also suspicious because in Murano island the metal components are gold or silver lacquered, electricplating has never existed on Murano island.
The big disks holding the arms on Murano are mostly in wood (lately also steel)hand shaped and the holes are large (2 to 4 cm.)and metal covers also hand shaped thin aluminium.
The disks of imitations are only plated metal and the holes holding the arms are all 10mm. of diameter, the metal cups holding the base of the arms will stick out from the disk, on Murano chandeliers the arm base goes into the disk.
