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History of Beads |
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In New Orleans, Louisiana, the tradition of using
glass bead necklaces as throws used as lagniappe (a
little something extra) became popular in the
mid-1920’s, and carried on through out the 1930’s,
along with pressed metal coins representing the
Krewe (an Old English term for crew), continued into
the 1940’s. In the early 1950’s cheaper plastic
beads slowly began to work their way in onto the
Mardi Gras floats from the various Krewes such as
Rex, Bacchus, Comus, Hermes and Zulu to name a few
of the major Krewes. |
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The Mardi Gras is actually a season, which also
known as the Feast of the Epiphany or 12th Night,
which marks the end of the Christmas season. Mardi
Gras (French for Fat Tuesday), is the end of the two
and a half week season, and the beginning of
Christian period called Lent (which is 40 days
before Easter Sunday). In New Orleans, and in all
areas where Mardi Gras is observed the parades,
floats and parties come to a head on Fat Tuesday and
ends at the stroke of midnight. Even today during
the many Mardi Gras parades you can hear “hey, trow
me som beads!” coming from the crowds lining the
streets, to watch the floats as they pass on by. |
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Our necklaces began from just those types of vintage
beads, which were thrown from floats during that
time period. The necklaces would sometimes hit the
ground causing a very slight chip or scratch in the
glass bead. Almost of the glass beads used in the
1930’s and 40’s were made in Czechoslovakia’s glass
factories. These renowned factories were well known
for hand crafting beads in various vivid colors, and
unique shapes much more vibrant than the typical
glass or plastic beads you see today. |
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The period during both the First, and especially the
Second World War, brought the Czechoslovakian glass
bead manufacturing to a halt. With many of the glass
factories closing, both the owners and workers left
the country to avoid the destructive path of the
Nazi’s. After the war, with the Russians having
their hold on Czechoslovakia, they took control over
many of the abandoned glass factories, seizing both
glass and molds. Making only utilitarian glass
products, they let the bead manufacturing go by the
wayside. Only recently have some of the original
glass molds been discovered and repaired, to once
again produce those unique little glass beads with
their true colors. However, old bead stock and
necklaces, as well as attic finds, are surfacing
from our Southern States. Unfortunately, Hurricanes
Hugo, Katrina and the Flood of 2011, have had a
great impact on availability of these rare and
beautiful glass bead necklaces, which range in age
from 50 to 80 years old. |
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