Dark Cobalt Blue Mercury Glass Bead Christmas Garland Antique beaded mercury glass Christmas garlands are very hard to find in this rich, dark cobalt blue color. I know because I searched far and wide before I finally found this one for my Patriotic feather tree. As it turned out, the beads are too large for my little tree, a little over 1/2 inch diameter or about 14mm.

The coloring is fantastic, and unfortunately my pictures don't show the depth and intensity. They're darker than the photos, and have a wonderful shading from bead to bead, some almost iridescent, others dark and reflective, still others nearly transparent deep blue, all from the natural degradation of the inner mercury silvering. There is absolutely no peeling or flaking of the color though, these beads are older and were made by a better process than later garlands which did not maintain their color nearly as well.

The garland measures 93" (beads only, not excess string, of which there is very little), or 7 feet 9 inches long. It was apparently broken at one time as evidenced by a knot a few inches from one end. I removed one bead that was completely broken, but left four others with side holes as they still retain their round shape. I will leave it to the new owner to determine whether or not to remove the four damaged beads.

Circa: 1920s - 1930s
Country of Origin: DE
Manufacturer: Pre War German Import  

Multi Color Mercury Glass Christmas Bead Garland 8.5 Feet This vintage Japan mercury glass beaded Christmas garland is made up of medium size double beads in red, pink, gold, silver, and green. The garland measures 103 inches (beads only, not including extra string), just over 8-1/2 feet long. A single bead is about 3/8" diameter. Foiled cardboard star stoppers are wired to both ends. I removed any seriously damaged beads but left 4 with small holes in the sides. There is some normal color variations due to natural age deterioration of the inner mercury silvering as shown, this is mostly just slight darkening of the silver beads.

Circa: 1940s - 1950s
Country of Origin: JP
Manufacturer: Mid Century Japan Import  

Multi-Color Mercury Glass Christmas Bead Garland Six and a half feet or 78 inches of vintage mercury glass bead garland. The garland is in two pieces, one 32" length and a 46 inch length tied together at the ends - you can use them as they are, restring the beads, or tie them together in one single length. The blue, red, green, gold, and silver beads are triples - fused together in threes. Individually, the beads are small, maybe 3/8" diameter.

I noted a couple of chipped beads on the strings but left them because they're not severely damaged. There is some normal loss of the inner silvering, causing a random transparent effect to some of the beads and pleasant variations in coloring. Some of the red colored beads have wear to the finish, a common problem with this type of garland.

Circa: 1950s
Country of Origin: JP
Manufacturer: Mid Century Japan Import  

Small Multi-Color Mercury Glass Christmas Tree Bead Garland This little 21" long vintage Christmas bead garland was made from colored mercury glass beads and Czech tube beads. The ends have been tied as if to make a necklace, and was perhaps hung on the tree just like that. In very good condition with no broken beads.

Circa: 1930s
Country of Origin: CZ
Manufacturer: Pre-War Czech Import  

Unused Box Vintage Gold Christmas Tinsel Garland This unused box of vintage metallic gold tinsel Christmas garland is the thin, more feathery cellophane or plastic type of tinsel, with a very thin wire down the center of the strand, enabling it to hold it's shape if needed.

The box contains 18 feet of 2" wide garland. The sides and flaps of the box are worn and crushed as shown, and the back of the box is slightly stained but the tinsel inside is unused and in excellent condition. Marked Japan with no manufacturer name or address, dates to the 1960s. Two boxes are available, price is per box.

Circa: 1960 - 1965
Country of Origin: JP
Manufacturer: Mid Century Japan Import  

Pink and Silver German Mercury Glass Bead Christmas Garland This 20 inch length of beaded mercury glass Christmas garland was made in Germany. It consists of 5/8" round silver and 1-3/8" long oval pink double pike, thin silvered glass ornaments or beads strung on cotton cord with hooks at either end. There is some wear to the pink finish and typical minor chipping to the pike tips but overall the garland is in very good condition for its age with no holes or breaks to the ornaments. The garland is measured by beads only, not additional string.

Circa: 1930s
Country of Origin: DE
Manufacturer: Pre War German Import  

5 Strand Mercury Glass Bead Silver Red Christmas Garland This old hand made 5-tier necklace type Christmas garland was made from silver and red mercury glass beads strung and crocheted onto a gold cotton and metallic cord. It's about 22" long from one looped end to the other with the longest strand a bit longer as it's meant to hang below the others. The silver beads are about 3/8" diameter or 9mm size, the red beads are smaller, roughly 1/4" diameter or 6 to 7 mm. None of the beads are broken though there is finish wear to many of the red beads as well as varying degrees of inner silvering loss. Simply beautiful draped in a window, over the edge of a mantle, or across a mirror. And yes, you can wear it too if you wish.

Circa: 1930s - 1940s
Country of Origin: US
 

Red Mercury Glass Christmas Bead Garland 8 Feet This vintage beaded Christmas tree garland is 101 inches long, or 8 feet 5 inches (beads measured only without extra string). The red mercury glass beads are joined in pairs or double beads, about 9 mm diameter, or about 3/8" singly. They're strung on cotton cord with wire ends and cardboard stoppers. The string was broken at one time and re-knotted in two places. There are no chipped or broken beads but the red coloring has typical fading, darkening, and rub wear, just enough to provide an authentic antique appearance you could never duplicate in a modern garland.

Circa: 1940s - 1950s
Country of Origin: JP
Manufacturer: Mid Century Japan Import  

Shiny Brite Mercury Glass With Bells Beaded Christmas Garland Mint In Package Unused and mint in its original package is this 1950s Shiny Brite Japan made gold mercury glass bead chain garland with thin hard plastic bells which are glittered at the rims and have wired red mercury bead clappers. The package is unopened but I count thirteen 1" high bells. The cardboard package header reads "Christmas Bead Chain, A Shiny-Brite Product, Japan". It doesn't say how long the garland is but they almost always measured between 8 and 9 feet. There's one little broken piece of gold glass at the bottom of the cellophane package, but I don't see any other broken or chipped beads.

Circa: 1950
Country of Origin: JP
Manufacturer: Shiny Brite  

Pastel Beaded Mercury Glass Christmas Garland With Bell Ornaments Six feet (72 inches) of vintage mercury glass bead Christmas garland with 5 early plastic bell ornaments attached to the strand. The 1 inch high bells are unique, and old, finished in metallic carnival or iridescent effect colors. Three have Deco era rings, and two have cool carvings on both sides - what appears to be a Father Christmas face.

The bells date to the late 1930s, the pastel colored beads could have been made anywhere from the 1930s to 1950s. The pink beads are about 1/4 inch or so diameter, the others a little smaller. The garland was strung by hand with little button stoppers on both ends. It's in excellent vintage condition with no chipped or broken beads.

Circa: 1930s - 1950s
Country of Origin: US
 

Retro Green and Gold Plastic Beaded Christmas Garland MIP A very retro 1960s plastic bead garland, unused and still in its original sealed package. It's made of plastic avocado and bright lime green beads (they're quite heavy but I think they're plastic) in round and tube shapes plus small gold colored metal spacer beads. The package doesn't say how long the strand is but measuring each section as it's wrapped I come out with about 90", over 7 feet - it may well be 8 feet when stretched out. The package is marked Made In British Crown Colony Hong Kong. The plastic is intact but with some storage wear as shown, the cardboard header has a grease pencil store price on one side.

Circa: 1960s
Country of Origin: HK
Manufacturer: Mid Century Hong Kong Import  

Vintage Metallic Curly Foil Christmas Garland More than 11 feet of curly silver metallic foil Christmas garland from the 1950s. The crinkly foil is spiral-wrapped around a thick cotton cord. There are areas where it's smashed down here and there but it displays fine when draped on the Christmas tree.

Circa: 1950s
Country of Origin: US
 

Metallic Red and Silver Curly Foil Christmas Garland This 11-1/2 foot length of 1950s curly red and silver metallic foil Christmas garland resembles a thick strand of chenille. The crinkly foil is spiral-wrapped around a thick cotton cord. It's a little crushed from years of use and storage but it displays fine when draped on the Christmas tree.


Circa: 1950s
Country of Origin: US
 

Blue and Silver 1950s Curly Foil Christmas Garland There's about 11 feet of this retro 1950s curly blue and silver metallic foil Christmas garland, about 3/4" diameter in thickness. The crinkly foil is spiral-wrapped around a thick cotton cord. Some minor crushing of the fragile foil but it displays fine when draped on the Christmas tree.


Circa: 1950s
Country of Origin: US
 

Red Silver Blue Patriotic Mercury Glass Bead Christmas Garland Beautiful single mercury glass beaded Christmas garland strand in alternating colors of red, blue, and silver - perfect for a Patriotic themed feather tree (or any size tree). The beads are about 1/4" diameter, roughly 6 or 7 millimeter size. The cotton string has a metal hanger hook tied to each end. I removed a few broken beads, there may be a couple remaining that have little chips or tiny holes. There is typical loss of the inner mercury silvering to some of the beads and some of the red finish has wear. I have three garlands, all alike and measuring over 7-1/2" feet long (beads only measured, not extra string). The smallest is 91 inches, the largest 95 inches long. Price is per garland.

Circa: 1930s - 1950s
Country of Origin: JP
Manufacturer: Japan Import  

Gold Glass Bead Christmas Garland Mint in Package 14 Feet This 14-foot long length of gold glass beaded Christmas garland (or glass bead roping as stated on the box) is mint and unused in the original plastic and cardboard package. Made in Japan for the S. S. Kresge Company in the early 1960s, the single silvered glass beads are 10mm in size or just over 3/8" diameter. The paper Made In Japan label is clearly visible wrapped around the beads, which have wired cardboard stopper ends.

The garland is 168 inches (14 feet) long. I can't see any broken beads but there must be a chip or two as I noted a couple tiny slivers of glass in the package. The inner silvering has caused some beads to have a cloudy or semi-transparent appearance, which is all but unavoidable with vintage silvered glass. Two identical packages are available, price is for each.

Circa: 1963
Country of Origin: JP
Manufacturer: Mid Century Japan Import  

German Mercury Glass Garland Striped Egg Shape Beads A short length of antique German blown mercury glass Christmas garland. It consists of 6 large double pike egg shaped oval bead ornaments with hang painted stripes, each 1-3/4" to 2" long. Laid end to end, they measure 10-3/4" long, not including extra string. Hand made wire hooks are attached to each end. The ornaments or beads have some normal degradation of the inner mercury silvering as well as fading and wear to the painted stripes. Only two of the pike tips are marginally chipped, amazing considering their age and fragility.

Circa: 1920s
Country of Origin: DE
Manufacturer: Pre War German Import  

Blue Mercury Glass Beaded Christmas Garland Large Beads 8 Feet This old mercury glass Christmas bead garland is made up of individual 1/2 inch diameter larger beads in a pretty metallic blue color. It measures 8 feet long but the string has one re-tied break and both ends are tied off using the end bead to knot, so it was probably restrung by the original owner. I count four damaged beads with holes or significant chips but did not remove them from the string. The color variation in the beads is subtle but lovely - the inner silvering catches the light and sparkles through with a shimmery glitter.

Circa: 1950s
Country of Origin: JP
Manufacturer: Mid Century Japan Import  

1960s Soft Plastic Holly and White Filigree Balls Christmas Garland 8-1/2 feet (102 inches) of retro Mid Century soft plastic Christmas decorative chain garland made with plastic holly and chains of cut-out filigree white balls similar to those 1960s plastic or vinyl doilies. The garland is in two lengths fastened together and has 10 hollow ball ornaments, sprinkled with silver glitter and studded with plastic holly and berries. Some of the balls have slight bends or crushing. They can be easily molded back into shape by applying heat from a hair dryer. While measuring I noticed a two or three missing holly sprigs but there are so many it's really not noticeable. Drape the garland across your windows, mantle, or stairway banisters or wrap it around a small Christmas tree.

Circa: 1960
Country of Origin: US
Manufacturer: Mid Century American Production  

3 Short Glass Christmas Ornament Garlands in Gold, Silver and White Most pre-1940s silvered glass bead garlands with large double-pike ornament type beads like this were made in Germany. Here are three shorter lengths, in satin white, silver, and gold. All have blown glass beads which average about 3/4" diameter (not including the pikes). Two strands have plain square cardboard stoppers at each end, the gold garland has been tied into a circle though one stopper remains. It would measure 12" long if untied and laid straight. The white and silver garlands are about 21" long, not including extra string or the hooks at each end. One gold bead has a noticeable break at one end, the others have no damage.

Circa: 1930s
Country of Origin: DE
Manufacturer: Pre War German Import  

Blue and Silver Mercury Glass Christmas Bead Garland This pretty Japan mercury glass beaded Christmas garland is 60 inches (5 feet) long, made up of bright peacock blue and shiny silver large single beads that are nearly 1/2 inch diameter. The beads alternate 2 blue and 2 silver on the strand, except at the ends where there are about a dozen silver beads. The cotton cord looks vintage and is not new, plus the wire and cardboard stopper ends look original and untampered with, so I think it was made this way rather than restrung by the original owner. The beads themselves are in excellent condition, bright and shiny with no breaks and little finish wear.

Circa: 1950s
Country of Origin: JP
Manufacturer: Mid Century Japan Import