Lampworking is the art of using glass to form beads. Originally craftsmen used lamps to melt soda glass (Soft Glass), hence the term "Lampworking." It was and still is widely practiced in http://www.answers.com/topic/murano, http://www.answers.com/topic/italy.
Most artists today use torches that burn either http://www.answers.com/topic/propane or http://www.answers.com/topic/natural-gas for the fuel gas, with either http://www.answers.com/topic/upper-atmosphere or pure http://www.answers.com/topic/oxygen (which can be produced by an http://www.answers.com/topic/oxygen-concentrator ) as the oxidizer.
The most common glass used today are http://www.answers.com/topic/soda-lime-glass-1, sometimes called "soft glass" - and http://www.answers.com/topic/borosilicate-glass, often called "hard glass.
The main manufacture of Soda glass is still the Murano glass factory in Murano Italy, along with Effetre amd Vetrofond glass ,Lashua in made in Germany and Sataki in Japan.
Murano was a commercial port as far back as the 7th Century and started to supply glass starting in 1291. Murano's glassmakers were the leading citizens on the island. The Artisans were granted the right to wear weapons and enjoyed immunity from prosecution by the Venetian state. By the late 14th Century, the daughters of glassmakers were allowed to marry into Venice's Royal family line.