Beads 23 (2011)
Beads From Gablonz, by Waltraud Neuwirth; translated by Ann Dubsky
During the 19th and 20th centuries, Gablonz in northern Bohemia (now Jablonec nad Nisou in the Czech Republic) was a major producer and supplier of glass and ceramic beads to the world market. This production center created beads of myriad forms, using all the major manufacturing methods. This detailed study provides a thorough overview of the various methods including patent details as well as information concerning bead names, shapes, coloring, decoration, sizing, stringing, and historic prices. The text is accompanied by numerous illustrations of the beads under discussion and the tools and apparatuses used to make, size, and string them. There is also a well-illustrated section on the pre-1913 sample cards of two major Gablonz companies, the Redlhammer Brothers and the Mahla Brothers.