232 Farbige Hohlglasperlen mit Malerei in Gold; H. Göble/Gablonz, vor 1837; Durchmesser 
(mittlere Perle): ca. 17,8 mm. -TMW, Inv. TH 11396 
232 Colored hollow glass beads with painting in gold; H. Göble/Gablonz, betöre 1837; diameter 
(central bead): ca. 17.8 mm. - TMW, inv. TH 11396 
Wax-filled glass beads were later replaced by beads of solid white glass (usually alabaster 
glass). The coating of ‘fish silver” was secured with varnish. These so-called ‘Imitation 
pearls” are still put on the market today under a variety of names (e.g., the “Maharani 
pear/s”of the Swarovski Company in Wattens, Austria). 
The principle of this technique of making solid beads with coated surfaces was basically 
nothing new, even though a different material was used, alabaster. Already in 1823, Keess 
points to a comparable method of making imitation pearls, when he mentions the so-called 
“Roman pearls” being made in factory methods in Rome. Here a core of alabaster twisted 
off in the shape of a pearl is painted with the “fish-scale material.” Since the surfaces of 
these genuine “alabaster pearls” wore off quickly, the “filled glass beads” were preferred 
(Keess 2/1823, p. 902). Solid wax beads were made in the 19th and 20th centuries and 
many Companies still produce them. “Solid beads with fish-scale decoration applied on the 
outside” were shown at the German-Bohemian Exhibition in Reichenberg in 1906 
(Schindler 1906, p. 1721). 
There is evidence of a number of Companies around 1930, that specialized in making solid 
wax beads (Lodgman-Stein 1930): Andreas Hampel/Gablonz; Belda & Co.TTurnau (from 
1920 the “Orienta” and “Eterna” wax beads), Finger & Co./Doubrawitz near Königshof 
(“Wax beads of every type, buttons, chains and necklaces, one and two hole beads, lamp 
collars, etc., in all qualities, hollow and solid, and in all colors”), J. Posselt/Gablonz 
(“Thüringer wax beads / solid wax beads of all kinds”), Adolf Kopal/Gablonz (“wax beads, 
Thüringer beads in all types, such as half beads, spheres and buttons in hollow, iris-hollow, 
filled, iris-filled, through-hole knitting beads, spacers, necklaces in Strands and pendant, 
also solid waxed. Always something new and all kinds of colors..."), Hugo Tischer/Gablonz 
(“Production of all kinds of glass beads, especially real gold beads and fine silver beads in 
shiny, mat and all colors. Rocailles and bugles”), Gustav Weisskopf/Gablonz (“Special 
production of strung wax beads in all sizes”). 
278