Day 5 & 6

Woke up early to see a large bead factory with a bead shop up front and a wholesale warehouse on the first floor. So many beads to shop for, both in large quantities and in single strands. Everyone had so much fun!

Two of our very happy beaders shopping for beads!

We had to leave early to go to a filigree company to tour their factory and to see production. Fascinating!

And they cover glass perfume bottles with their filigree!!

Then back to the first factory to finish up shopping. Some of the group wanted to pay now and take their beads with them in their luggage.


We skipped a sit down lunch and hit the grocery store to make a picnic lunch instead while we rushed off to the large antik wholesale warehouse run by gypsies, where we shopped for over 3 hours for old beads, crystal chandeliers, chain, chatons, buttons, filigree, glass bottles and other wild and crazy items. This is the best stop of the day. Filthy, but fabulous.

Chinese food for dinner and a walk around the lake as night fell. The storm is approaching, it is supposed to rain all day tomorrow.

Good night.

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The weather came back with a vengeance- cold and wet.
But that didn’t stop us.

First stop was a crystal rhinestone factory that made rhinestone jewelry and components such as buttons, rhondelles, pave balls, cup chain and so much more. We all bought so much that we have come back the next day to pay and receive all our goodies.

Next was the only hollow glass blowing factory left in operation that makes Christmas ornaments and beads - 150 year old method of manufacturing using existing equipment. To get there We relied on our GPS (which I hate) and it took over a mountain road which really needed a 4 wheel drive Jeep with a winch just in case. But the views were incredible.

                                         Onward to the glass Christmas Ornament factory. They make hollow blown glass beads, using the old style pressing mold system. The machine was modernized in the 1950's to use gas and oxygen. They use brass mold shapes and ceramic mold shapes for larger blown beads.

          Imagine wearing a dress made from hollow blown christmas ornaments!

Coming back to Jablonec it tried to send us back the same way but we unplugged it. Reminded me of that movie Space Oddessy where the robot took control of the space ship. (what are you doing Dave? Put down that plug.)

We were hungry and randomly chose a hotel/restaurant that had a billboard on the side of the road. The drive was 1/2 mile into the forest, but it was a nice looking place with good food. Groan, we are putting on weight! Well, Guy does love desert.

This was a old Ski Lodge Restaurant and hotel. It had all kinds of hunting memorabilia on the walls.

Finished eating, we drove into Jablonec for our last appointment at a small, old bead factory. Sample cards were hung on the walls, boxes stacked in cupboards full of more cards. It was a feast from which we all partook.

Back to the hotel for naps, then dinner at Klub X. (no, it is not a strip join, but a very nice restaurant with a chef doing the cooking).

And then a few of us had desert. Yummy!

Day 3 and 4 - the weekend.

Saturday started off early with a beautiful drive into Poland through Sklarska Porebo and the town of Piechovice where the Julia Glassworks is located. Crystal glassware of all kinds is handmade here, including colored glass which is their specialty. They are known for special etching and polishing for crystal glassware.

Then back to Mala Skala and a visit to the small castle at the top overlooking the area. Lunch at the pub at the bottom at the trail head.

We then drove to Semily to see a small cottage industry lampwork bead maker who makes beautiful beads, of which we all bought quantities of stock and Jme placed an order. A huge thunderstorm exploded above us and treated us to a spectacular weather event. After it passed we drove back to Jablonec.

We drove back to Jablonec and decided to make a stop at the top the hill to see the view of all of Jablonec. It is always a lovely site to see.

The day was done and everyone was on their own to either relax in their room, take a nap, explore the town before going to go have dinner. Guy took a nap.

Dinner was fantastic at Nabaste restaurant.

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Sunday we got up early, had breakfast and drove to a button factory to buy stock and for Jme to place orders.

Adolf, the owner of the factory told us about an Antik faire happening just down the road which we proceeded to go see. It was large and lots of fun. We all bought some treasures to bring back home.

Next stop the Glass museum, which was as spectacular as always, with a special presentation on when glass beads and bangles were made in Czechoslovakia for Trade in India.

All the women our group having some fun near the bead curtains.

             This is a version of a map of all the cottage industry factories which were in this area.

                                    Various colors of glass rods used to make the glass beads.

Lampwork equipment to make lampworker beads. 

                                                  Tools to press buttons and cabochons.

                                           Tools to line up and facet fire polish beadss.

These are some vintage glass cabochons.

Lampwork Peacock eye cabochons. (oh how I wish I could find a bunch of these)

                              Glass buttons with bugs. These are highly collectible all over the world.

                                                Equipment to make hollow blown beads.

Vintage Sample chart of some hollow blown beads. 

                   Sample card of lampwork beads, which have been hard faceted. Very gorgeous beads!

                                                              Vintage Forest glassware.

This is a huge 3&1/2 feet tall glass vase. 

People who are stringing seed beads in their homes. They would get them string into hanks, and 1/2 kilos or however the importer would want them strung and bring them back to the factory. 

Seed bead size comparison chart.

This is a old very large wall hanging weaved with tile beads. 

                                                 

                                                        Glass bulb ornament covers.

This is a hand crank filigree stamping machine.

Vintage sample charts of brass filigree stampings. 

A vintage fashion poster.

 These are Vintage black victorian items used in the hair. The hat pin would have run the the hat and the hair.
                This hat pin is called a Wiggler, as it wiggles when the woman moves her head.

                                                         Glass bangles made for India.

                              Oh look! We found some sailors who were working on the ships who are bringing India the glass beads and bagless.

and J-Me wants to thank you for walking thru the Glass museum with us. We hope you enjoyed it as much a see did. 

Lunch at a Turkish restaurant and back to the hotel where we all agreed the day was over. It was 3pm.
                                          Several of us had very yummy Donner Kebabs.

Time to rest. Jme worked on e-mails and photos, Guy took a nap then worked on the blog.

We were all exhausted, and still excited about tomorrows day.