DRAWN BEADS, CHOPPED BEADS
In the narrowest sense of the word, the term commonly used in German for drawn bead,
“Sprengperle,” should only apply the drawn bead that is “broken” off (from “Absprengen’)
from the raw product (rods, tubes, canes). In general usage, however, the expression,
“Sprengperle” has been extended to include the bead created by cutting or chopping. The
term “chopped bit” (“Hackebissel”) used for “Sprengperle”is in a certain sense, therefore, a
contradiction per se, but the terminology has become established all the same.
It is more accurate, therefore, to use the term drawn bead, known in the specialized English
literature (Karkiins 1985, p. 88); the primary product is based upon the drawing process
which has already been described. After the solid rods and hollow tubes, or the smaller
canes (which can be either solid or hollow) are drawn, further Processing begins. The solid
rods were intended for press-molders or press-molding works and were divided for them
into corresponding lengths (ca. 1-1.5m); the hollow tubes could sometimes achieve
considerable diameters (when they were used for making bangles, for example). The canes
of lesser diameter were either tube-shaped (hollow) and thin-walled and thus semi-finished
Products for the glass blowers who made blown beads, or they were thicker-walled,
perforated or unperforated canes. These canes were divided by cutting, chopping or
breaking into separate sections that had to be the right size for the bead to be made. There
were several techniques for doing this, but basically they fall into two types; on the one hand
the method from Murano and Venice which is based on chopping the cane, and on the other
hand the one from Bohemia that derives from breaking off the separate sections.
With most of the rocailles or bugles in the beadwork from the Biedermeier to the Art Deco
periods (ills. 94-98, 102, 105-108, pp. 150, 151, 154,155, 161, 164-167) it is not possible
to teil whether Venetian or Bohemian products were used - both were stocked by speciality
shops and sold according to demand. Viennese glass bead merchants, such as
M. Mayerhofer, offered a
“Supply of all sorts of Bohemian and Venetian glass beads, French gold and silver and Steel
beads, an assortment of French and Bohemian hat Ornaments and other decorative articles for
ladies’ hats” (Stehlik 1877-87, columns 530-531).
The Pschikal Brothers in Vienna were similarly well stocked with a large supply
“of Bohemian and Venetian glass beads, French gold, silver and Steel beads from the most re-
nowned factories here and abroad”(Stehlik 1877-78, column 530).
TheS. Spitzer&Comp, factoryforglassbijouterie, beads and buttons in Gablonz, had abranch
in Vienna, as did Joh. Wawra & Sons in Morchestern which made “buttons, beads, necklaces,
sets, brooches, earrings, etc.”(Stehlik 1877-78, column 531). Albert Goldzieher had a
“Factory warehouse for Venetian and Bohemian seed beads and bugles. Glass beads of all
kinds. Manufactury of glass and bronze bijouteries, buckles, clasps and jet hat Ornaments”
(Stehlik 1877-78, columns 533, 534).
A year later, Stehlik’s Viennese Commercial Yearbook lists the beads of the Albert
Goldzieher Company in more detail:
“Wholesale Stocks of embroidery and Venetian seed beads in all colors and sizes; of Bohemian
beads of all kinds, such as: blown, silver-lined, coral and wax beads, drawn beads, painted;
foiled, press-molded and bügle beads; black and colored beads for trimmings”(Stehlik 1878-79,
column 602).
Goldzieher is mentioned again under the heading of glass jewelry, this time for
“Manufacture and export of Bohemian glass and bronze jewelry items such as rings, pins, neck
laces, earrings, medallions, brooches, crosses, ladies’ trimmings, etc., specialities in trimmings
for milliners’ shops” (Stehlik 1878-79, column 605).
In his shop in Vienna, F.J. Kittel from Kukan near Gablonz also stocked
“beads, necklaces, earrings, brooches, sets, finger rings, buttons; also hat Ornaments such as:
clasps, hat buckles, corals, prisms, etc."(Stehlik 1878-79, column 605).
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