Vintage Mardi Gras Beads Uranium Glass 1930s Czech

Description

Did you know that up until the 1960s that glass beads from Czechoslovakia were thrown at Mardi Gras parades in New Orleans rather than the plastic ones we are familiar with today? These beads were tossed at the parades for almost 100 years. And since they were from Czechoslovakia, many of the necklaces had uranium glass. These necklaces can still be found, many with their original tags, because so many millions were made and never used. This is a particularly fine example in good condition that still has the original tag. The large yellow beads glow very bright under a blacklight. The necklace is 16 inches and is from the 1920s/30s. I found this necklace at a shop in the city of New Orleans. It is a wonderful piece of history.
Feel free to check out my other uranium glass jewelry items for sale. I also do custom commissions with a specialty in sterling silver rings so don't hesitate to contact me if you are looking for something specific!
If you are interested in more than one item, please message me as I do deals on multiple purchases.
Uranium glass is glass made with up to 2% uranium dioxide for color. The uranium content causes the glass to fluoresce bright green under a UV blacklight. It is very slightly radioactive and will register on a Geiger counter. Most jewelry pieces will register just above background radiation, enough to show true uranium content yet safety for wearing. The uranium glass in jewelry is the same glass found in the depression-era glassware that is popular with collectors.
Uranium glass is identified with a UV blacklight, and it's only uranium glass if the item is truly glass, not another material, and glows the telltale bright neon green. If a piece of glass fluoresces bright green then it contains uranium. No other material or element *in glass* has that effect. Other jewelry materials such as resin, plasic, enamel, paint, acrylic, some gemstones, and even adhesive under a rhinestone can glow like uranium, so it is imperative for a collector of such glass in jewelry to make sure the glowing item is truly glass. Sometimes an item can glow a dull green rather than bright neon, and that is due to manganese rather than uranium.
I treasure hunt all over the world for vintage uranium glass pieces to use in jewelry, as well as new pieces from Czech Republic. I specialize in sourcing old art deco jewelry components and faceted stones. I also very much enjoy finding vintage uranium glass jewelry pieces. I represent my vintage pieces to the best of my knowledge with all the research I can muster, but from time to time I may get something incorrect, however, I strive to avoid any misrepresentation and will designate if I am unsure of something. All of my own pieces are made with the greatest care and love and have a lifetime guarantee for repair. I test all glowing items in both my own pieces and in vintage pieces with a pin scratch test, a presidium tester, and a Geiger counter to ensure that all of my items are true uranium glass.