Antique Japanese glass hotsell bead

Antique Japanese glass bead. Edo Period, ca. 19th c.

Lamp worked glass beads were luxury items in the Edo Period, and were often banned by the government's anti-luxury laws. The locations of workshops and the lamp work
techniques were kept secret.


Good condition

(Measurement shown is in centimeters)

The last picture is from hotsell my column series “traveling beads,” from the issue where this item is mentioned.
I wrote about Ainu and Edo beads.