The Fuel Accounts of Maestro Foscari's Furnace

≈ 4 min

The Arte dei Vetrai, the glassworkers' guild of Murano, requires each licensed furnace to file a quarterly fuel and materials account so that the Guild Chamberlain may verify that quantities of beechwood, soda ash, manganese, and lead oxide match what the licensed suppliers delivered. Maestro Giacomo Foscari of Fornace Foscari has submitted his account for the quarter ending Michaelmas 1450, supported by the usual clutch of delivery notes and marks. The Chamberlain has passed the account to an auditor because one entry appears to bear an identifying mark that the guild's own records show belongs to a different maestro's furnace licence entirely. You are asked to determine which line is discrepant and which record exposes it.

The scene

Glassworks counting room, Murano, Venice, 1450

Source documents

Arte dei Vetrai Furnace Licence Register, Murano, 1450
Barge manifest of Benetto Zorzi, 10 August 1450
Receipt of Ser Alvise Priuli, Rialto warehouse, 2 July 1450
Guild Chamberlain's store disbursement chit, 3 September 1450

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