Revisiting the world of Sea Glass
By Jacqueline Ganim-DeFalco
When was the last time you hunted for shards of pottery and sea glass? Where were you? On your island vacation; walking alongside your parents as a child; summer vacations at a cottage? Like many things that we take for granted, sea glass is fading in both quantity and variety as we move to plastic packaging and promote recycling. The smooth, frosty glass we find today started its journey over 30 years ago – some of the pottery dates back 500 years.
Did you ever wonder where the glass came from, how long it took to form, the origins of such unusual shapes and colors? Author and sea glass historian, Carole Lambert began to unravel some of these mysteries in her 1999 book, the Sea Glass Chronicles. Much of the information relates directly to the stormy coastal maritime history of the great harbors along the coasts of the country with major centers in Maine, Massachusetts, Maryland, California and other deep harbors that were homes to great ships. But, even the south shore of Lake Erie has experienced the riches of sea glass due to all the shipwrecks that were caused as ships entered its shallow waters on their way inland from the St Lawrence Seaway.
Pottery from shipwrecks can be traced back to the early settlers. One of the more interesting discoveries is that old pottery from Europe was used as ballast on the ships and was either thrown overboard upon landing or lost at sea. Glass bottles of course have always been a favorite of collectors. Richard LaMotte in Pure Sea Glass - provides even more history of types, sizes, and shapes of bottles that are now just shards of glass with a few letters. Passive collectors of glass are now turning into educated “beachcombers” who know what they are finding. Antique dealers and appraisers are starting to get inquiries on appraising sea glass collections!
Within the last ten years, clever artisans have found ways to craft sea glass into colorful jewelry and household decorations. Work is found predominantly in coastal towns, but gradually it is finding its way into the mainstream. A large number of casual collectors and artisans gathered together in 2004 at the first Sea Glass Festival (www.artsgloucester.com/seaglassfestival) in Rockport, MASS.. Sponsored by SEARTS (Society for the Encouragement of the Arts) in Gloucester, the event featured speakers from the Cape Ann Historical Museum and authors of the books mentioned above. The exhibitors included a range of fine jewelers and craftspeople making everything from mobiles to mosaics. The range of possibilities for the glass and pottery are endless – clay pots, candles, switch-plates, lamps, tiling, in-laid in masonry, etc..
The true beauty of collecting glass and pottery is its wide appeal to all ages and tastes and the opportunity for all of us to connect with a piece of the past. My interest was sparked by my husband who is a master painter/decorator who is always looking to nature for inspiration on complex colors and designs. My background as a marketing advisor led me to find a niche market – hair accessories – where I could readily find a place among sea glass artisans. Over the past eighteen months, I have expanded my business to include broaches and a Bridal line. Working with Jane Wilson Marquis (www.bridalgowns.net) in New York City, we will find ways to integrate glass into wedding designs and Cape Ann Designs will provide bridal barrettes, hair sticks and hair combs made from elegant light glass and pearls.
This new passion has unleashed my own creativity, brought me closer to my husband and his work, and generated a whole new set of friends and partners in a new venture. Private groups visiting Cape Ann can inquire about Beachcomber Tours – yet another dimension of this new endeavor. Find out more at CapeAnnDesigns.com/Partners .shtml and click on NxtEvent.
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