Antique Beaded Chains
and Garlands
Glass beads were
manufactured long before being used as Christmas
decorations. Typically made for the European jewelry and
millinery industries, glass beads and tubes were used on
fancy Victorian clothing and accessories. They were
mouth blown from hollow tubes of glass, separated with
leaving a pike at each end, and then "silvered" on the
inside. Due to economic fluctuations in fashion and the
growing popularity of Christmas trees in the last
quarter of the 19th century, the industry
began making beads for Yuletide decorative purposes.
Originally small, about
1/4", round bead sizes grew to up to 2" in diameter.
They were sold in small strands, sometimes hung from the
ends of branches like icicles, or individually, in the
case of larger or more "fancy" beads. They were painted
as solids, or with dots and stripes, and sometimes wire
wrapped. Soon, paralleling the larger ornament industry,
they were free blown into oblong tubular forms, or into
ceramic molds as barrels, fancy shapes (twisted,
indented, faceted, etc), berries, nuts, acorns,
pinecones, and more. Eventually, the skill and
creativity of the artists produced very detailed molded
beads, including heads, flower baskets, and Santas, just
to name a few. Beads for Christmas garlands continued to
be produced throughout the 20th Century, and
even up to today.
Beaded glass chains
are an excellent Christmas decoration to collect because
of their versatility and their ability to be collected
in virtually any price range. The smaller beads and
common shapes, of course, are easiest to find and in the
lower price ranges, while the more intricate molded
beads are rarest and most expensive. They also allow for
personal creativity because, traditionally, they were
made to be mixed and strung to individual taste. Happy
hunting and beading !!!!
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