Gablonz ornament
Material: Glass beads, glass, wire
Size: 24 cm high, 6 by 6 cm
Age: first half 20th century
Origin: Czech, Gablonz
Condition:
Very good used condition.
Describtion:
Elaborately crafted antique Christmas ornament from Gablonz. This delicate ornament consists of silvered glass beads in various sizes and shapes, joined with white glass tubes on wire to form a geometric structure. Rich red glass beads add striking accents among the silver tones. An elongated, textured glass element in the upper section and freely suspended bead pendants give the ornament an elegant shape reminiscent of a miniature chandelier. The preserved patina and age-related wear to the silvering enhance the charm of this collectible piece. 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.
