ISBN 0-88740-295-X, Softcover, 176 pages, Schiffer Publishing Ltd., 77 Lower Valley Road, Atglen, PA 19310

Sibylle Jargstorf is a chemist and glass researcher from Braunschweig, Germany. She has researched extensively in order to author this book. Glass In Jewelry will take you through a journey of glassmakers, beadwork, places and events where glass beads were made. I use this book regularly as a reference for my studies related to beadwork. There are color images throughout the book that you will want to go back and look at again and again. You will be able to identify the age and origin of older beads in your jewelry which makes them greater treasures.

The introduction provides an overview of the time period, places and glass covered in the book.Early Glass starts out on a journey through Mesopotamia and Egypt ages ago, then follows the Celts in Europe, around the Mediterranean Sea, onward through the Roman Empire and the spread of Christianity along with glass adornment, and through the expansion of bead trade in Africa, Asia and America. There are several color images and illustrations of relevant beads.

Neglected Treasures compares blown glass objects and beads using the same techniques. Filigree and Opaline or Alabaster glass are discussed and beads, bottles and beadwork examples are included. I had no idea some of the tiny beads I have are alabaster! Origin and Age looks into the difficult task of identifying where beads were made and by which glassmakers since the beads were moved around to various countries for finishing into jewelry. Hidden on a Little Island is about bead and gem making in Murano, Italy. Known glassmakers and glassmaking techniques are discussed including Rosetta beads and White Heart beads. Adventurine beads, paperweights, cane handles and intricate beadwork are splashed throughout these pages in vivid color.

Scattered in Remote Mountains is about bead and gem making in Bavaria/Thuringia/Bohemia/Silesia. There is a line drawn map of trade routes for the beads, and opalescent glass, gem type faceted glass and crystal faceted beads are described, as well as paperweights, perfume bottles and jewelry making. I was delighted to see the necklace with opalescent beads on page 40 with identifying information since I have a strand of like beads. How The Beads Are Made defines wound beads, drawn cut beads, lampworked beads, machine-made beads, blown beads, foiled beads, pressed beads and gemstone beads and explains the process to make the beads. Photo images of lampwork beadmaking are on page 66-67 and pages 74-75. Coloring and cutting beads are discussed and then several examples beads and strung beads represented in color images.

Artificial Gems has spectacular glass beads representative of minerals. There is a brooch on page 93 with a glass piece that looks like Malachite that is dynamite.There are several color images of faceted glass beads in this chapter. Glass Cameos and Incrustations introduces pressed glass cameos, carved cameos from overlay glass, incrustation cameos and enhancement painting on cameos.

Millefiori Jewelry has a description of techniques, history and several color diagrams and images of new and old beads, pendants, paperweights, necklaces and canes. Mosaic Jewelry is about the tiny glass pieces used to create microscopic mosaics, some left rough and others ground down for a smooth surface. Adventurine Jewelry brings the razzle dazzle sparkle beads to us in opaque and transparent beads, pins, bracelets, necklaces and other jewelry. Once-Fashionable Jewelry describes several jewelry pieces that many of us are familiar with including jet glass, false pearls and faceted beads. Glass-lined pearls are also explained in this chapter. I have one of the glass lined pearls and they are completely different than coated pearls. Modern Design in Glass Jewelry brings us to to beads, jewelry and vases of the early 1900s. This is a rich assortment of glass items. The necklace in the upper right corner on page 155 looks a great deal like my Shadra Necklace which will soon be in one of our free workshops. The necklaces on pages 160-161 with rings look modern and classic and would very easy to make. Examples of the right angle weave are on page 166 and Langani jewelry on pages 170-171 are beadacious clumps of tube type beads probably on wire.

There is a Value Guide and Index at the end of the book. This is a very good reference book for bead and beadwork history, beautiful color photography, and identification of beads.