Stacked and Raked Glass Bead Reproduction by Jhan A. Knebel

Examples of raked glass beads used as my inspiration can be seen on the Glass and Amber page by Regia Anglorum.

Stacked and Raked Beads
Viking Glass Beads
400-700 AD

About the Piece

This bead is patterned after Viking glass beads. Strong color combinations appealed to the Vikings, with the black, red and yellow combinations being quite popular.

Production Method

This style of bead is produced by using a hot-head torch and MAPP gas. The glass is heated in the flame until molten and applied to a stainless steel mandrel coated in bead release (slip.)

The first layer of black glass is applied to the mandrel and shaped into a barrel using a graphite marvering paddle. A straight line of yellow opaque glass is then applied all the way around the center of the bead perpendicular to the bead hole and allowed to melt completely into the surface of the bead.

A stringer of red opaque glass was then applied along the center of the yellow opaque glass and allowed to melt completely into the surface of the bead. The bead is again marvered into a barrel shaped. The yellow and red stripe is then raked parallel to the bead hole, raking from top to bottom the first time, then bottom to top the next time, alternating until the surface of the bead is covered.

The beads are placed in a fiber blanket for cooling. They will be annealed once I either purchase or gain access to a kiln. In period, a kiln powered by a wood fire and bellows was used. However, I have not had the location available to build a period kiln.

Resources

Glass and Amber. Regia Anglorum Publications 24 Feb. 2000 http://www.regia.org/glass.htm