| On our first trip, we inquired and were rebuffed, when we asked about wholesale...so we bought what we could afford, right off the racks and carried them back to Houston.
We were able to sell them in the local market. But, we needed wholesale prices to make a profit.
We returned to Venice, a few months later, determined to buy wholesale. Retail vendors would say "I sell'a to you wholesale". We ignored them and kept inquiring until we got a tip and found Giseppe Perini, and his daughter, Germana Perini. He agreed to sell us some Millefiori, Fiorato an Aventurina necklaces, at wholesale prices.
We had envisioned carrying them back with us, but that is not how it works in Venice.
You make an appointment. You arrive at a vendor's factory/ shop. Mr Perini had his grandson there to interpret, since neither he nor his daughter spoke english.
Necklace examples are displayed and you make your selections. That is it. You return home, and wait several months for the word that your order is completed and ready to ship.
Where we used to receive our order by ship, we now receive product in two or three days by FEDEX.
Much to our sadness, Senor Perini passed away; a few years after he introduced us to Venetian Beads. His daughter, Germana Perini, took charge of the business and led it quite successfully. Also, I should include the fact, that almost all the bead makers in Venice and Murano, are women.,p>
The next few years, we extended our sources and did very well. But, it wasn't enough. One day in 1979, we learned of the Gemological Institute of America in Santa monica, California. We reasoned that we could sell a single diamond a month and make about as much as we made on the beads.
With this in mind, we managed to attend the G.I.A. and went to California to study diamonds and colored stones. What followed was six months of intensive studing and training; which after graduation, made us both Graduate Gemologists.
We continued selling beads until we were able to fly to Thailand, where we purchased sapphires, rubies, spinel, Zircons, etc. Selling this material was slow. We ordered more eads. Sold locally and tried to sell our colored stones.
We decided to go to Brazil. We looked up another GIA graduate and called him in Rio de Janeiro. He was very accommodating and called his sources in Sao Paolo. We flew there and made our way to a colored stone dealer; where we picked out stones. Our parcel was wrapped and sealed in a metal box; to be later checked by customs, if they desired. We brought in topaz, amethyst, tourmaline, tanzanite and some very nice emerald material.
We had arrived...we decided we should exhibit at the "International Gem and Jewelry Show", which came to Houston several times a year.
All in all, we travelled to Bangkok, Thailand; Hong Kong; Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, Minas Gerais, and Belo Horizonte, Brazil: and Idar-Oberstein, Germany, to buy gemstones, (and some art). We also travelled all over Europe: to Spain to buy porcelain, Las Gorditas, and especially LLadro, and purses; to Italy: to Florence to buy purses and leather gloves; to Sorrento to buy inlaid wood art pieces, music boxes and inlaid wood tea carts; to Torre del Greco to buy coral and cameos, and to Venice and Murano to buy Venetian Glass Beads and Murano Glass.
We got together some glass cases and set up our booth; but, we did'nt have enough merchandise to fill out all the display cases. We laid out our Murano glass, Venetian beads in the empty display area. We sold some of our fine jewelry and loose gemstones; but, we sold out of our Venetian beads; buyers stating they had never seen such a great selection of Venetian beads and at such low prices!
We never completely gave up on diamonds and colored stones, but due to limiting circumstances, we began to follow the gem shows and bead shows. In 1987, we exhibited at the great wholesale Tucson Show, and introduced the world to Murano glass, gold foil, Venetian beads; which were in their infancy.
We continued to sell colored stones and diamonds, now and then, but, since we had convinced our vendors to sell us loose beads; we began designing our own jewelry: necklaces, bracelets, and earrings. We also sold other Murano glass products, such as paperweights, Millefiori plates, door knobs, glass slippers, cherries, candies, vintage flowers and leaves, etc.
Our designs are sold as "Alessandro's Designs", and on our website as "Alexander-Lee Gallery" , "Valentina Moretti", or as "VenetianBeads.com".
My given names are Phillip Alexander. The Italians in Venice thought "Alessandro" suits me better, so I adopted that name as my designer name.,p>
We market our bead designs on ETSY as "Alessandros Designs", and on our website as "Alexander-Lee Gallery", or as "Venetian Beads.com".
< While we have long been enamored by the scintillation of a diamond and the chrome induced colors of ruby and emerald, our attention has been held these many years, by the romance of Venetian Glass Beads and the stunning fashion accessories they become.
Under our company name of Alexander-Lee Gallery, we exhibited at International Gem & Jewelry Shows all over the United States: San Diego, Santa Monica, San Mateo, Seattle, Portland, St. Louis, Chicago, Detroit, Columbus, Baltimore, Marlborough, Boxborough, Washington, D.C., Atlanta, Dallas, Austin, Houston, etc. We exhibited at Bead Expos, Embellishment Shows, Bead and Button Shows, Quilt Shows, Italian Festivals, in various cities: Houston, Austin, Sacramento, Portland, and Santa Fe, to name a few. We also exhibited at wholesale jewelry and gift shows: The California Gift Show in Los Angeles, Atlanta Gift Show, and Chicago Gift Show. And for 20 + years we had a large booth at the Tucson, Arizona, Gem & Lapidary Wholesaler's Show, (GLW show); and now exhibit at the Houston Gem & Mineral Show. Needless to say, we did shows covering East to West and North to South; introducing Americans to Venetian Glass beads and Murano Glass jewelry and gift items.
When we first started exhibiting the Venetian Glass beads at shows; there were no imitation beads, no "knock offs", no poor copies of Venetian beads made in India, or China, or Czech Republic, (Czechoslovakia then)...they were not around. There were no American bead makers on the scene, who began arriving in the mid '80's, and there were no "bead shows". We were first, we've seen it all happen, we've experienced it, we've "shaped history", and we are still faithfully here.
From the many designs we carry, we have selected some of our most beautiful Murano glass bead necklaces. The Murano glass beads that comprise these designs are "lampwork" beads; which simply means they are glass beads, handmade, one-by-one, under the flame.
If you are one of our valued, past customers of loose, Venetian glass beads, or Murano glass jewelry, you know that we helped to start the "bead revolution" in the United States. We could show you thousands of Venetian beads; but we chose to bring you only the very finest quality Venetian beads and Murano Glass, direct from Venice, Italy, at the most reasonable prices. Hope you enjoy our selection.
Ciao,
Susan and Phillip Alexander (Alessandro)
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