Product Description

The various worldwide uses of glass beads, from antiquity to the modern time, are presented in this new book, along with the fascinating evolution of the beadmaking industry. From roots in Asian and African glassmaking, the European beadmaking industry is shown to have developed in response to political and economic factors of international trade and keen businessmen who saw potential profits, 475 color photographs, illustrate the different styles uses, and patterns of glass beads that originated from or influenced the European industry. Phoenician, Celtic, Viking, Venetian, African, Bavarian, Bohemian, Dutch, French, and Russian styles that were made for symbolic, fashion, magic, and controversial uses are shown. Even today's foiled, flower, mosaic, pearl, bronze, and fancy beads are discussed and shown. As beads play an important role in ornamentation today, this book will be of interest to a wide circle of creative people. The price guide reveals the current collector's market for popular bead types.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1143693 in Books
• Published on: 1997-03
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 191 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9780887408397
• Condition: USED - VERY GOOD
• Notes:
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About the Author
Glass historian Sibylle Jargstorf, from Braunschweg, Germany, has directed her considerable skill and energy to this, her fourth book on glass. Her previous original research for her popular books Glass in Jewelry; Paperweights, and Baubles, Buttons and Beads: the Heritage of Bohemia has won her the respect of thousands of readers.

Customer Reviews

A well-meant, but flawed attempt.
Ms. Jargstorf's 3rd book on bead research is her most ambitious, and most provocative. She is on the most solid ground when discussing the beads of Germany and Central Europe. Her discussion of ancient beads is problematical, as very few of these are pictured to relate to the text. She offers a great many ideas and theories, but presents very little substantiation. Some of her ideas are just silly, or misinterpretations of history. The photographs are variable in quality and reproduction, are not numbered, and often do not enhance the text. The "Value Guide" is given in British Pounds Sterling, and is therefore not very useful. The most interesting beads are merely said to be "rare"--and no value given. As such, this section is almost pointless. I recommend this book, but only if the reader remembers that it has serious flaws, and is spurred to do some cross-referencing to other sources of information.

Very comprehensive and informative
I really devoured this book. The photographs show all the important types of older European beads beautifully, and the text was well researched and written.

I was pleasantly surprised by maps explaining the whereabouts of the beadmakers, having lived in Germany.

This book was written from a highly refined and educated passion.