This website is for all glass fishing float collector's who
share an obsession with these treasures like I do!!!
Please feel free to browse & check out the Photo Galleries. I'll be adding new
pics regularly. If you have any you would like to share, please send them to me
at 1junkie@glassfloatjunkie.com.
On this site, you can check out the following floats............
share an obsession with these treasures like I do!!!
Please feel free to browse & check out the Photo Galleries. I'll be adding new
pics regularly. If you have any you would like to share, please send them to me
at 1junkie@glassfloatjunkie.com.
On this site, you can check out the following floats............
 | Japanese & Korean floats | |
| European floats | |
| Floats from other countries | |
| Unique & rare floats | |
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| New pictures from the Beachcombers Fun Fair in Ocean Shores, WA on March 1st & 2nd, 2008 are now online. Look at Photo Gallery 3! :) |
a little history about glass fishing floats....
The use of the first glass fishing floats can be traced as far back as 1840. The Norwegians
used a small egg-sized float on which they tied a fishing line and a hook. As the use of nets
increased, Norway went on to produce other sizes of floats since glass was an economical
method of supporting the nets and offered plenty of buoyancy. Many European countries soon
began using glass floats. Trademarks or embossing began appearing on the floats to identify
the users and manufacturers of the floats.
Around 1910, far eastern countries, primarily Japan began manufacturing and using glass
floats, hence their most popular name; Japanese Glass Fishing Floats. To accommodate
different fishing styles and nets, the Japanese experimented with many different shapes of
floats, from as small as 2 inches in diameter to the gigantic size of 20 inches in diameter.
Most floats are shades of green because the glass used was primarily recycled sake (wine)
bottles, but clear, amber, aquamarine, amethyst, blue and other colors were also produced.
The most prized and rare color being a red, or cranberry hue. These were expensive to make
because gold was used to produce the color. Other brilliant jewel tones such as emerald
green, cobalt blue, purple, yellow and orange were primarily made in the 1920´s-30´s. The
majority of the colored floats you will find for sale today are replicas.
Cork and aluminum floats appeared around 1920. These soon began to replace glass floats
since they were more durable and could provide holes or eye features that made net
attachment easier and more reliable. As manufacturing techniques improved, plastic floats
soon followed. Unfortunately for net fisherman, glass floats would often escape their nets.
Today, millions of glass floats are probably still floating in the world's oceans. When tide
and weather conditions are just right, you can find glass floats that wash up on the beaches
of Washington, Oregon and Alaska. Sometimes, several may arrive together in the same
location. Often, these floats roll safely onto shore or may be tangled in seaweed or other
flotsam. Sadly, they also can be shattered if the float should land on a rocky coastline.
During stormy periods they can be thrust hundreds of feet onshore and will remain there
until some lucky hunter should find it.
used a small egg-sized float on which they tied a fishing line and a hook. As the use of nets
increased, Norway went on to produce other sizes of floats since glass was an economical
method of supporting the nets and offered plenty of buoyancy. Many European countries soon
began using glass floats. Trademarks or embossing began appearing on the floats to identify
the users and manufacturers of the floats.
Around 1910, far eastern countries, primarily Japan began manufacturing and using glass
floats, hence their most popular name; Japanese Glass Fishing Floats. To accommodate
different fishing styles and nets, the Japanese experimented with many different shapes of
floats, from as small as 2 inches in diameter to the gigantic size of 20 inches in diameter.
Most floats are shades of green because the glass used was primarily recycled sake (wine)
bottles, but clear, amber, aquamarine, amethyst, blue and other colors were also produced.
The most prized and rare color being a red, or cranberry hue. These were expensive to make
because gold was used to produce the color. Other brilliant jewel tones such as emerald
green, cobalt blue, purple, yellow and orange were primarily made in the 1920´s-30´s. The
majority of the colored floats you will find for sale today are replicas.
Cork and aluminum floats appeared around 1920. These soon began to replace glass floats
since they were more durable and could provide holes or eye features that made net
attachment easier and more reliable. As manufacturing techniques improved, plastic floats
soon followed. Unfortunately for net fisherman, glass floats would often escape their nets.
Today, millions of glass floats are probably still floating in the world's oceans. When tide
and weather conditions are just right, you can find glass floats that wash up on the beaches
of Washington, Oregon and Alaska. Sometimes, several may arrive together in the same
location. Often, these floats roll safely onto shore or may be tangled in seaweed or other
flotsam. Sadly, they also can be shattered if the float should land on a rocky coastline.
During stormy periods they can be thrust hundreds of feet onshore and will remain there
until some lucky hunter should find it.
| Guests since 11.10.06 |
| Taken from www.glassfishingfloats.net with permission from the webmaster. |
For those interested, I do buy individual floats & collections. Please contact
me for additional information! I can also put you in touch with other collectors
that might be interested in floats you may have available.
me for additional information! I can also put you in touch with other collectors
that might be interested in floats you may have available.