The modern history of the glassware industry begins in 1820, the year
in which a 'crystal' factory was opened in the lower area of Colle Val d'Elsa,
in an Augustinian convent next to a church devoted to St. Augustine.
There were three founding partners, not one of whom was from the area: the
industrialist, Leucci from Pisa, the banker from Livorno, Modigliani - who
provided financial backing - and the French master glass craftsman, Francesco
Mathis, the active partner who directed works on the premises.
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There could be a number of reasons why this trio of businessmen chose Colle Val
d'Elsa: the abundance of forests to provide enough wood to fuel the furnaces;
the presence of the town of Elsa and the millraces to obtain the driving force
used to engrave the glass; proximity to access routes, which made transportation
of raw materials easier.
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The furnace, the only one of its kind in Tuscany, soon became famous for its
'crystal', which was far more sophisticated than the basic, functional green,
straw-covered glass made by other Tuscan furnaces.
The factory also had an adjacent building where the articles were finished off
and engraved.
The 'crystal' made in Colle Val d'Elsa in those days did not yet contain lead
oxide - the component that gives the glass mixture its magical sparkle and
total clarity - like its French and English counterparts.
