When glass is tack fused, the layers remain distinguishable as separate pieces, even though the glass has fused completely

Meet Mr. Shimpo. This robotic mortar and pestle is what we use to make some of our colors. Mr. S comes from Japan, where ceramicists like to mix their own glazes. Also, everybody in Japan loves robots.

We have a lot of ideas and suggestions about displaying our work -- including the stand pictured above, which we can make for you to spec. Ask us more.

Momo has been reprinted in the the U.S. by McSweeney's! Order up a copy here.

Q. Will the two layers of glass fall apart?

A. No, that's impossible! The two layers of glass are fused together at around 1400 degrees in a specialized kiln. This particular kind of fuse, where you can still differentiate between two layers of glass, is called a tack fuse. It is essentially one piece, however.

Q. Is all your jewelry sterling silver?

A. Anything we sell that goes through the ears is silver. In 2015 we upgraded the ear wires of all our dangle earrings to Argentium silver, which is a superior alloy to sterling. Its nickle-free, for one thing. Also, it is far slower to tarnish than normal sterling silver.

Posts, lever-backs, and chains continue to be sterling silver.

The pendant bails are silver-plated with a lacquer finish to prevent oxidation.

Q. What is up-cycling and why is it better than recycling?

A. Up-cycling is re-using the resource as it is. When recycling, the resource is sent back to get melted, shredded, reconstituted, whatever. So while recycling is generally a very good thing, it does consume more energy than up-cycling does.  

A lot of our glass is up-cycled. It comes from the back-rooms of framing stores and the studios of glaziers. Their left-over cuts become our pendants and earrings.

Q. I've noticed that you use adhesive in some of your pieces to bond glass and metal. What if they come unglued?

A. We use the best UV glass-metal adhesive on the market when we bond glass to metal. Edo does all of the gluing in a dedicated corner of the studio, using heat lamps to optimize the curing process. Each piece is quality-tested afterwards before being sold.

That said, adhesives are notoriously treacherous. It's not a perfect world, and if anything your customers have purchased for us needs re-gluing we'll be happy to handle the repair at no cost.

Q. Do you have any particular suggestions for putting an order together?

The lightning bolt emoji are a good place to start. Also:

Our earrings sell at a 4:1 ratio to the pendants. While the pendants are very artsy and help to sell the line as a whole, the earrings are definitely the real movers.

So if you're new to our work and are placing a smaller order ($250-400), consider starting out with just small earrings, or just small earrings and charms.

Among earrings, the small size ($14wholesale/$30retail) sells 2-4x as much as the large/medium sized earrings.  

Q. A few of the designs I've purchased from you haven't done well for my store. Can I return or exchange them?

A. We'd be glad to exchange your tired pieces so you can keep your displays fresh. Send back anything in Like New condition and we'll post a credit to your next order in the amount returned.

Q. Will I see you at the next wholesale show?

A. We have not been doing wholesale shows with any regularity since 2019, but have now confirmed that we'll be in Baltimore for MSA Forward. If you're considering our line for the first time and would like a sample pair of earrings sent to you, we'd be happy to ship you a sample.

Q. Can I have exclusivity with you in my town/city?

A. Yes. We are careful to provide and respect exclusivity with the following conditions: 1) Your initial order must be over $500; 2) You must purchase from us at least once every six months; 3) annual volume should exceed $1,500; 4) If you are in a large city we reserve the right to sell to other stores so long as they aren't in your part of town.

Also, we have two lines that are very different from each other, the GLASS CANVAS line and the BRIGHT MOSAIC line; and if you decide not to carry both lines, we reserve the right to offer the line you decide not to carry with a different store. In such a case, we will always check in with you beforehand and offer you exclusivity on the other line before opening a new account.

Q. If you two are married, how come you have different last names?

A. Because we both have stubborn personalities. TMI.

Q. Why are you called 'Momo'?

A. 'Momo' is the name of a German children's book written by Michael Ende. (The fellow who wrote "The Neverending Story" before it was turned into a movie). We read the story out loud together when we first met. Its one of those children's books with many layers of meaning within it, so adults will find it just as interesting as children. One of its themes is the rise of Modernity, the Industrial Revolution, Capitalism, etc -- and what has been lost in the transition.