Know Your Vintage Beads! A Quiz of the Most Beady Kind

Think your pretty informed about your vintage beads? Think not? Let’s find out. I’m going to show you some fabulous stuff… and you can see how vintage-bead-knowledgeable you are. Buckle your seatbelt...here we go!

1. Take a look at these two beautiful press molded vintage pendants. One is from West Germany and was made in the 1940-1960 timeline. The other is from Japan and was made in the 1940’s. Can you guess which is which?  

Answer… The green floral pendant is from Japan. We found these delicious Japanese jade pendants about a decade ago, still in their original boxes, snug as a bug in the delicate tissue. They’re called Jade glass, but they aren’t really made from jade. The Japanese were well known for mimicking stones in their glasswork. You can find carnelian impersonators as well as lapis, turquoise and pearl. The pendant with the cross on it is a West German reverse painted piece. These pendants were press molded with an intaglio relief on the back side. Intaglio refers to the 3 dimensional engraving on the back of the pendant. This engraving was referred to as a carving at the time, but in reality its from a mold. When the intaglio is painted and then viewed from the front, the image seems to come to life and pops out. Sometimes the entire back of the pendant would be painted in a metallic or AB color. Sometimes we find these pendants with no paint at all on them, and the relief alone is delicate and beautiful.

2. Here are two metal components made from copper and brass. One is new...the other old. Can you tell the difference?

Answer…   The old component is the one with the oxidation on it. Ok, so this one wasn’t so hard! But here’s so info on old vintage metal beads with patina… don’t take it off! This is part of the history of the bead. Oxidation often will form unevenly, giving an assortment of metallic colors on a piece. Its not a bad thing, in fact, it’s a great thing! It gives it a unique touch that only a vintage bead can have. It takes a long time for patina to form, and because these pieces were exposed to air in different degrees, it has caused the patina to form differently. Sometimes vintage beads or components can be sealed up properly for years and come out looking like their still in their perfectly new glory. Both are old. One just has more character than the other.

3. Gander away at these three beads. They’re of a plastic variety and are all in pristine condition. Can you spot the non-vintage Lucite bead here?

Answer… look at the purple bead with the seams on it. This is a new bead made from a mold and in many cases the seams are left on the bead. Pity. It could be a pretty awesome bead if it didn’t have the seams. However...let me tell you what’s so rockin’ awesome about Lucite beads. To begin with, they’re made from a heavier material than most plastic beads. This makes them dense, solid and heavy so they blend well with stones, metals and heavier glass beads. Lucite is seam free, since these beads are not made in molds. Instead, they’re turned on a lathe and each bead is made individually. The holes are uniform and flawless. Lucite is the Lamborghini of plastic bead existence.

4. Two fabulous jet black glass beads. One is really, old. The other could be in production by the zillions as you’re reading this. Think you know which is which? Take a guess before reading on…

Answer…    The old bead is the 1920 antique nailhead bead shaped like a hexagon. This bead is called a sew-on traditionally, and was meant to be sewn down onto fabric to adorn clothing or jewelry. This one has the designer’s initials on it, another rarity. You can see the imperfect edges on this bead, as they were mold made and then the access glass was chipped away creating rough edges. Nailheads come in many colors, sizes and shapes and you’ll find a slew on this site. The other bead is Czech made and is contemporary. Beautiful, though...hm? Looks like it could be an oldie!

5. Which is which? One is vintage, the other contemporary. Old? New? You decide…

Answer…   The old bead is this luscious, tin cut leaded glass bead shaped like a cone. The first indication of its origin is the color. Vintage beads capture a color palette that isn’t made today, since the chemicals and processes used back then were unhealthy, costly and downright dangerous in some cases. By modernizing the glass recipes and methods of bead making, it eliminated a whole color array and many of these ultra-soft pastels were lost. The second indicator is the shape. Yes, this shape is reproduced today, but not using a tin cut method. It is said that in the 30’s and 40’s beads or stones were threaded onto a notched wooden stick and the craftsman would press them against a tin wheel to create the faceting. The facets are uneven and all different sizes even on a single bead. This is the mark of hand-craftsmanship. The bead on the right is a contemporary Czech bead. Lovely and pink and alas, new.

How did you do? Are you a vintage whiz or a newbie? Never fear...this site is crammed full of vintage bead info and all you have to do is start looking around. You’ll find facts, tidbits, notes and stories in and around all the bead listings. Happy hunting!

“I didn’t care much about vintage beads until I began learning about them. Why they were made, how they were made and for what purpose. They’ve got history. And their stories are unique and intriguing and fascinating. I’m hooked!”   ~ Dita Roeszchen, vintage bead collector

Resources…

Www.beadinpath.com

http://www.etsy.com/listing/42762689/new-deep-purple-swirl-vintage-plastic