Jane Barthelemy, the founder of Marco Polo Designs, originally from Boston, lived in Italy where she sang as a primadonna in Italian opera theaters. While living and singing in Venice, she fell in love with glass and handmade lamp work beads. She began creating jewelry to wear onstage for her performances. In 1993, she returned to Oregon to create her own jewelry collection.
Marco Polo's exclusive lamp beads are made entirely by hand over a single flame.
Many of the beads have internal layers of 24k gold, sterling silver, or dichoric, which add luminosity to transparent colors. The beads are then strung on delicate filament of 24k gold or sterling silver and accented with fresh-water pearls,semi-precious stones, Bohemian, and American beads.