Blue Pressed Glass Flower Bead

Historical Information

Type: Pressed Glass Flower Bead Material: Opaque Coloured Glass

Date: Mid-20th Century

Find Location: Colchester, Essex, UK

Extra Information:

This charming four-petal flower bead was produced using pressed-glass techniques that became widespread during the mid-20th century. The bead's rounded petals and central dimple were created by pressing molten glass into a small metal mould, a method that allowed makers to reproduce floral motifs quickly and consistently.

Although mid-century in date, the shape itself has a much longer history. Floral designs have been used in glass ornamentation since ancient times, where flowers symbolised renewal, beauty, and protection. The four-petal form became particularly popular in the 19th and 20th centuries because it was both visually pleasing and easy to mould, resembling simple wildflowers such as primroses and forget-me-nots.During the 1940s to 1970s, beads like this were widely made in Bohemia, Italy, and Japan, and were used in a vast range of jewellery and craftwork. They appeared in children's bead sets, costume jewellery, hair accessories, beaded purses, and decorative textiles. Their bright colours and friendly shapes made them a favourite for everyday creativity.

Recovered in Colchester after many years in the ground, this small flower bead now forms a cheerful pendant — a little piece of mid-century decorative history, revived and worn once again.