Christmas tree decorations from Gablonz: Spinning - German/German
According to legend, Mary and Joseph sought shelter in a cave while fleeing from a snowstorm. Spiders drew a fine web in front of the cave and thus protected the Holy Family from the cold and enemies.
Spiders were a popular Christmas motif in the northern Bohemian town of Gablonz in today's Czech Republic. Glass Christmas tree decorations have also been produced there since around 1860. Everything that moved people was reflected in the imaginative creations and miniature images of everyday objects. The rather idiosyncratic style of the Christmas tree ornaments emerged from the button and bead industry as well as the flourishing costume jewellery industry. Gablonz jewellery was known in almost all parts of the world and was an important export of the Royal Monarchy.
For the Gablonz Christmas tree decorations, hollow-blown beads were made at home in front of the blowing lamp. The beads were either blown up freely by hand or made with a so-called bead moulding machine. Unlike in Thuringia, however, the beadmakers in Gablonz could not just blow one bead into the mould. With the help of multiple moulds, it was possible to make sections up to 10 centimetres long with pearls strung together. These were then separated with a filing knife, then silver-plated and made into Christmas decorations on wire.
Christmas Tree Decorations from Gablonz: Spiders - English
According to one legend Mary and Joseph are supposed to have sheltered in a cave during a snowstorm. Spiders wove a fine web at the mouth of the cave to protect the holy family from the cold and enemies.
Spiders were a popular Christmas motif in the northern Bohemian town of Gablonz or Jablonec in today's Czech Rebublic. And glass Christmas tree decorations have been produced there since 1860. Everything that touched and moved the human being was reproduced in the imaginative figures, miniature versions of everyday objects. This very individual style of Christmas tree decoration developed from the button and pearl industry and the flourishing fashion jewellery industry. Gablonz Jewellery was known in almost every part of the world and was an important export for the royal monarchy.
For Gablonz Christmas tree decorations hollow blown-glass beads were finished at home using a blowtorch. The beads were either blown by hand or with what was known as a bead-shaping machine. But in contrast to those in Thuringian, the bead makers in Gablonz could make several beads at once. With the help of multiple moulds they could produce up to 10 cm-long segments of beads that were strung together. These were then separated with a filing knife, silver-plated, threaded on wire and turned into Christmas decorations.