Some history on glass beads
Beads are probably the oldest ornament worn by humanity and are present in all cultures all around the world. Originaly shells, stones, teeth, bones were pierced with a hole, sometimes further engraved or polished.
Beads adorn, protect, symbolise status, serve as currency or translate beliefs. They are part of our lives and our history. Beads have all forms and colours, are made of all kind of materials as different as precious metals, wood, seeds, plastic, resin, precious and semi-precious stones ... or glass
The history of handmade glass beads dates back to 2100 BC in ancient Egypt, where glass was molten and wound around a sand core. Another important period in ancient glassmaking is the roman period from 100 B.C. to A.D. 4OO. Beads were produced in complex techniques and large quantities to be exchanged in Europe, Asia and Africa.
But the most important chapter in the story of beads from the Renaissance to the 20th century belongs to the European glass bead industry. Beads were manufactured in Venice, Holland, Bohemia and Moravia and were traded for American furs or African ivory, gold and slaves.
One of the most renowned glass making centres still today is the island of Murano close to Venice where all glass factories where relocated in 1292, to protect Venice from the risk of fires and to keep the glassmaking procedures secret. Murano beads typically are made by wound or drawn techniques.
A contemporary movement around glass beads was started in 1993 with the creation of the ISGB International Society of Glass Beadmakers in the USA. In Japan, the Kobe lampwork glass museum exhibits Japanese artists and invites lampwork artists from the USA and Europe for permanent and temporary exhibitions. In Europe, the movement is even more recent with pioneers such as Nicole Zumkeller & Eric Seydoux in Switzerland or Nadine Piskaldo & Frederic Marey who have been teaching many beadmakers for over 10 years in France. Some associations exist as well: l'Association des Perliers d'Art de France" created in 2001, of which I am an active member, Glasperlen spektrum in 2004 in Germany. In Italy, the tradition remains of course with some actively transmitting their long inherited know-how. There's also a long tradition in working glass in Scandinavia, I know of a blog in Norway around glass beads and of classes being given: I would be happy to hear more about what happens there ...
Any other information about glass beadmaking movements is most welcome!
Historic information was mainly taken from “The history of beads” by Lois Sherr Dubin: the most comprehensive book on beads I know
