Gablonz ornament
Material: Glass beads, glass, wire
Size: 9 cm high, 6 cm wide
Age: around 1930
Origin: Czech, Gablonz
Condition:
Very good used condition.
Desription:
Antique Gablonz Christmas ornament dating to around 1930, skilfully assembled from silvered glass beads and elongated, moulded glass elements on wire. A large silver-coloured glass ball forms the centrepiece, surrounded by a diamond-shaped framework. Clusters of green, orange and silver-coloured glass balls extend to either side, completing the delicate design. The varied bead shapes and charming colours give this ornament its distinctive character. Age-related wear to the silvering and painted finish adds to its authentic appeal. A collectible example of historic Gablonz glass bead Christmas decoration. Guaranteed antique – not a reproduction.
History of the production of Gablonz glass bead jewelry
The production of Gablonz glass bead jewelry has a long tradition. The historiography began around 1550 in Gablonz / Sudetenland (today's Czech Republic) and developed in connection with the jewelry and glass industry. At that time, the first glassworks were built and from these, glass grinding shops. In the countless Gablonz family businesses, the beads were blown up from glass tubes in front of an oil lamp with bellows reinforcement, or later with a type of Bunsen burner. This is how the "freehand beads" were blown up by hand without any shaping aids. Later, the glass tubes were blown up into "shaped beads", again in front of the "lamp", using a bead forming machine developed in this region. Father and grandfather were usually responsible for blowing up the beads. Mother and grandmother's busy hands then strung this bead material on wire in certain formations.
