The Ultimate Guide to Sea Glass: Beach Comber's Edition: Finding, Collecting, Identifying, and Using the Ocean's Most Beautiful Stones

by Mary Beth Beuke (Photographer), Lisl Armstrong (Foreword by)

Overview

Full-color expert advice for first-time seekers start new collections and veteran hunters who want to learn more—from California to Cape Cod, from the Gulf Coast to the Pacific Northwest, and around the world!

As the owner of one of the world's most elaborate sea glass collections, Mary Beth Beuke gets to talk about these prized ocean gems on a daily basis. Unfortunately, with each passing day, sea glass becomes more and more difficult to find, making the hunt more of a challenge to the seeker—especially one with limited experience in sea glass hunting.

There are several reasons why the hunt is so important to the sea glass seeker. Some find their Zen moments in the solitude and beauty of the hunt. Some collect to add color to their lives. The history, mystery, and discovery of sea glass are also strong forces that draw collectors to shorelines around the world, looking for these pieces of physically and chemically weathered frosted glass.

Whatever your reason for wanting to learn about and start your own collection of sea glass, the window for doing so is closing as pieces are becoming more elusive due to a growth in sea glass popularity and a decrease in recent glass bottle production.

Take this manual with you as you search for your own collection and make notes about what you find along the way.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781634509374
Publisher:	Skyhorse
Publication date:	05/03/2016
Pages:	288
Sales rank:	1,010,812
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.20(h) x 1.20(d)

About the Author

Mary Beth Beuke is the owner of West Coast Sea Glass and was the president of the North American Sea Glass Association from 2005 to 2010. Her sea glass art jewelry can be found in more than fifty galleries all over the world. Her story and collection have been featured on the Travel Channel and in National Geographic, Smithsonian, Coastal Living, Ocean Home, the Seattle Times, and more. She exhibits her collection at museums and libraries often and resides in Sequim, Washington.

Lisl Armstrong is a sea glass jewelry artist and collector. As a leading authority on sea glass, she is often called upon by her peers to lecture at sea glass festivals and to assist in other educational efforts. She has beachcombed all over the world, served as vice president of the North American Sea Glass Association, and created the organization Sea Glass Artists & Sea Glass Collectors. She resides in Englewood, Florida.

Table of Contents

Dedication vii

Foreword ix

Part 1 What Is Sea Glass? 1

Introduction 3

What Is Sea Glass? 6

Where Does Sea Glass Come From? 10

Why Has Glass Wished Up on Shore? 25

Can Sea Glass Still Be Found Today? 29

What Is Lake Glass? 34

And River Glass? 34

Why Do We Love Sea Glass So Much? 37

Part 2 Types of Sea Glass 43

First, a Bit of Glass Blowing History 44

Lightning and Meteorite Glass 44

Antique Bottles 47

Inkwells 56

Antique Tableware 58

Bonfire Glass 72

Sea Glass Beads 75

Pieces with Swirls of Multiple Colors 82

Sea Pottery, Ceramics, and Porcelain 87

Part 3 Collecting 93

The International Sea Glass Community 94

The Collection Chart 104

When and Where to Go 109

Tides and Debris 111

Caring for the Shore 122

Further Tips on Collecting 123

Part 4 Identification 125

Different Beaches and Oceans Condition Sea Glass Differently 127

Historic Collections versus Modern Collections 136

Genuine versus Artificial 140

Identification of Most Common Finds 153

Identification of Unique Pieces and Markings 156

Sea Glass from Around the World 224

Part 5 Caring and Using Your Sea Glass 239

Cleaning Your Glass 240

How to Sort, Store, and Categorize 244

Things to Do With Your Collection 248

Resources 250

Author Bio 252

About West Coast Sea Glass 254

Glossary 258

Index 261

My Sea Glass Records 265