Tile Bead Pendant

Historical Information

Type: Pressed Glass Tile Bead

Material: Opaque Blue Glass

Date: Mid-20th Century

Find Location: Colchester, Essex, UK

Extra Information:

This small blue tile bead was made using mid-20th-century pressed-glass methods, in which molten glass was pressed into a metal mould and then tumbled or fire-polished to smooth the surfaces and edges. Many beads of this type were deliberately polished after moulding, which can completely remove or soften any visible mould seams - explaining the absence of a seam on this example.

The bead's bright, opaque blue colour is typical of popular craft and costume jewellery materials from the 1940s to the 1970s.

Such beads were widely used in children's beadwork kits, home craft projects, and simple summer jewellery.

Although more modern than Victorian or Edwardian beads, it retains its own charm as part of Britain's mid-century creative and domestic craft history. Now presented as a minimalist pendant, it offers a clean, contemporary piece with a subtle nod to the handmade traditions of the past.