At the end of the 19th century, a unique glass-making technology – the craft of blowing hollow beads through glass tubes – made its way to Poniklá from Jablonec nad Nisou. Over time this craft became more widespread in Poniklá and further processing was added to glass bead blowing: silver coating, cutting and threading. At its height from the beginning of the 20th century to World War I, there were some 400 glass bead manufacturers in Poniklá and the surrounding area. Companies in Jablonec exported the beads to countries around the world. The beads were used primarily for bijouterie and decoration of garments.
THE BEGINNING OF GLASS BEAD BLOWING
