Vintage German Glass Beads are colorful, unique, beautifully designed glass beads that were produced in Gablonz, Germany up until 1945 and then continued in production through the 1960’s in New Gablonz, West Germany. When Gablonz became a part of the Russian bloc and the great glass artists were forced out of their homes and work at the end of World War II, they moved to New Gablonz, West Germany, a new city 300 miles away from Gablonz.
Erich Huschka, an exile from Gablonz, was responsible for jump starting this new city by opening factories were there
had been munitions plants. During the height of production, there were as many as 500 factories turning
out these extravagantly gorgeous beads. Then the economy began to change, and the workers were provided
other jobs with better salaries and working conditions. By 1969, there were only 50 to 75 factories still in production. (Modern West German Glass Buttons, by Lucille Weingarten and M. W. Speight, published by National Button Society, 2002)
The supply of Vintage German Glass Beads continues to decrease since they are no longer being manufactured. Because of the manufacturing process, the exquisite, colorful, fashionable, and highly desirable beads were, and still are, far superior to any other glass beads. The variety in design, shape, size, and color, as
well as the limited supply, make Vintage German Glass Beads extremely popular.
Gypsy Dragon carries one of the largest, if not the largest, selection of Vintage German Glass Beads in the U.S., all of which have been imported from Germany. Gypsy Dragon also carries a large selection of Old Czech Glass Beads. |
