When I'm lucky I get beads in
their original packages and then I might see sizing that just doesn't
make sense. I mean, how can size be 3 1/2? When it measures about 8mm?
So I realized it's not in the metric system and I couldn't imagine how
inches can be used here either. Or how about size 00?
Answers came from one great book. It's called "Beads from Gablonz", author Waltraud Neuwirth.
In the old times
French line (Parisian line) was used when measuring beads and small
glass components, and 1 inch=12lines. In different countries it was
calculated into millimeters differently: 1 Parisian line = 2,2558mm, 1
Rhine line = 2,179mm, 1 Viennese line = 2,195, 1 English or Russian
line = 2,116mm (Neuwirth 2011:24). Most of my Prosser bead boxes
have 00, one bundle has 000 and one package 8 (that looks bit like 3,
I'm not sure). So it turns out that those nulls on my Prosser bead
labels are actually Kernel numbers that are connected to the so-called
line measurements mentioned by Neuwirth. In the book there is a table
with Kernel numbers, lines and corresponding millimeters when calculated
Parisian lines (Neuwirth 2011:28). So I took it as reference and
checked my beads.
The sample cards below have measurements in Parisian lines and if I compare with the
correspondent millimeters from the table, the results are exact. Or as
exact I can see with my ruler that has1mm accuracy.
Not so easy with
Prosser beads though. Some of my nr 00 sized Prosser beads are measuring
a bit more, others a lot more. Table says that size 00 should be
3,94mm, my beads are more like 4-5mm. Sized 000 should be 3,34mm, but
are 3-3,8mm. Sized 8 should be 9mm, but are 7,5-8,1mm. But Prosser beads
are not uniform in size, some are bigger, other smaller. Comparing same
size (00) beads it seems that Czechoslovakian beads are bit bigger than French Prosser beads.
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| Antique sample card with glass sew-on stones, all with foiling and frosted surface. On the left there are size in Parisian line and right are color numbers. |
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| French sample card with jet nailhead beads, article number on top sizing on left. These actually look like they have been faceted by hand not molded, because the corners of facets don't always align and the surface of the facet
has slight lines from grinding.
|
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Sample card with no-hole molded glass buttons in light and dark
amber color. Same logo at top left corner suggests the same distributor like the first card components. Glass seems to be molded with different top and bottom part molds and has wire attached. Sample card has long wood pieces behind and wire of each button goes through the card into the wood. |
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| Antique faceted glass beads from Czechoslovakia. I didn't received the package full so I don't know what numbers stands for the amount. But 3 1/2 means the size for 7,8mm as according Parisian lines. |
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| Selection of French (Briare) Prosser beads with no sizing. I have them loose in boxes or cloth bags and some strung into long strings or interesting hanks. |
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| French Briare Prosser beads in cardboard box: color 950, size nr 00 and amount 5000 pcs |
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Remnants of a big bundle of French Prosser beads.
Beads are strung into long strings. According to the tag color is 3774, size 000 and original amount 25 000 pcs. |
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| Original
packages of Prosser beads from Redlhammer Brothers, Czechoslovakia. Both are with round beads article 3362 and in color 891. Box has size 00 and amount of 5000 ("5 Mille") loose beads. Wrapped package has size 8 (looks a bit like 3?) and amount 1000 pcs on string (10 strings, each with 100 beads, "1 Mille"). |
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| Comparison
of black French and milky Czechoslovakian Prosser beads. Both beads came from original boxes labeled with size 00. But as you can see, the milky ones are bit bigger. |
Kui veab, saan helmeid nende
originaal pakendites ja seetõttu puutun kokku mulle veidi imelikena
tunduvate numbritega. Et mis mõttes on suurus 3 1/2? Helmes ise oli
umbes 7mm? Nii et see ei saa olla ei meetrisüsteemis ja tollidega ei
suutnud ma seda samuti siduda. Või suurus nagu 00?
Appi tuli üks tark raamat. Pealkirjaks "Beads from Gablonz", autor Waltraud Neuwirth.
French line (Parisian line) on mõõtühik, mis oli seotud tolliga nii, et 1 toll =12 lines. Erinevates riikides oli selle vastavus millimeetritega erinev (ma ei hakka ingliskeelest tõlkima): 1 Parisian line = 2,2558mm, 1 Rhine line = 2,179mm, 1 Viennese line = 2,195, 1 English või Russian line =
2,116mm (Neuwirth 2011:24). Enamus minu Prosser helmeste karpidel on
suurus 00, ühel helmeste puntral oli silt 000 ja ühel pakil 3 (mis
paistab nagu 8). Tuleb välja, et need nullid, mida just Prosser helmeste juures näha, on osa nn Kernel'i numbrite süsteemist, mis on omakorda seotud ülaltoodud line suurustega. Raamatus on ära toodud tabel, kus Kernel'i number on viidud vastavusse Parisian line ja millimeetritega (Neuwirth 2011:28).
Näiteks ülal toodud näidiskaaartidel ongi suurusteks Parisian lines ja
kui võrrelda tabeli järgi suurust millimeetrites, siis oli vastavus
täpne. Või nii täpne, kui minu silm seletas 1mm täpsusega joonlaua
järgi.
Nii
lihtne pole aga Prosser helmestega. Osad nr 00 suuruses Prosser helmed
olid natuke suuremad, osad rohkem. Tabeli järgi peaks nr 00 olema
3,94mm, mul olid 4-5mm. Suurus 000 peaks olema 3,34mm, aga mul on
3-3,8mm. Suurus 8 vastavalt 9mm, aga minul on 7,5-8,1mm. Prosser helmed
on enamjaolt suuruse koha pealt ebaregulaarsed, et ühe suuruse all on
nii väiksemaid kui ka suuremaid. Üldiselt tundub, et Prosser helmed on
reeglina suuremad, kui tabelis ja Tšehhoslovakkia helmed omakorda
Prantsuse helmestest suuremad.
