History of Picard Czech Beads
In Prague, the two Americans were shown into a large ornate stone building. Inside they marveled at the soaring arches and vaults of the Gothic architecture. On a thick wooden table lay piles of the intricately fashioned glass beads, handmade in the Bohemian region nearby. As their necks craned down from the ceiling, their eyes settled on the glintingly bright colors of the glass.
While Czech glassworks dates back to the 16th century, the history of Picard Czech Beads began in 1987. That summer my parents John and Ruth Picard traveled to Czechoslovakia in search of glass beads. Their goal was to join the international wholesale bead market by purchasing glass beads for import to supply American jewelry crafters.
In the city of Liberec within the glass producing region of Bohemia, the two Americans were shown into a large ornate stone building. Inside they marveled at the soaring arches and vaults of the Renaissance architecture. On a thick wooden table lay piles of the intricately fashioned glass beads handmade nearby. As their necks craned down from the ceiling, their eyes settled on the glintingly bright colors of the glass.
“We’d like 3 boxes each of those.”
“No, that’s too much.”
My parents looked at each other, confused. Had they misunderstood? The bead maker went on to explain that in the socialist system they must be cautious about the distribution of goods. If they sold a large quantity to the newcomer Picards, wouldn’t that create uncomfortable competition with other American distributors? My father let out a long breath and sat back in his chair.
A few moments later, an older man appeared and stepped close to the table. The first man carefully introduced him as the vice president and mumbled my parents’ names.
“Oh! Are you the Picards who have published the books on the history of trade beads?”
The senior man was familiar with my parents’ publications, which at the time included Volumes I, II, and III. After an awkward moment, the first bead maker uncrossed his arms and relaxed slightly. My parents obtained permission to buy a modest quantity of Czech beads.
A page from Picard African Imports publication Volume II (1986), which the bead company vice president had probably seen by 1987. The green shell bead pendant in the lower left inspired the logo for Picard Czech Beads.
Two years later, the Velvet Revolution of 1989 ended the communist rule of Czechoslovakia. In 1992, the democratic legislature mandated that Czechoslovakia be split peacefully into Czech and Slovakia.
A box of Czech glass beads in storage at the Picard Building in Carmel, CA. One sample bead is strung on the outside of the box. Based on the label, this box dates from post-1992.
As the Czech bead industry transitioned through these years, my parents supply of Czech beads grew into a larger selection. In the summer of 1992, my parents announced their Czech beads product line with a full-page color advertisement in Ornament quarterly magazine.
“Czech out our new line.” The full page color advertisement announcing Picard African Imports’ new Czech beads. From the Summer 1992 issue of Ornament magazine.
The cover of the Summer 1992 issue of Ornament quarterly magazine showcasing bead jewelry by Joyce Scott.
Today Picard Czech Beads offers a huge selection of Czech glass beads. We are proud of our long history and vast storage space that allow us to offer rare bead varieties that you won’t find elsewhere, at wholesale prices.
A corridor in the basement of the Picard Building in Carmel where we store our Czech glass beads.
How it all started
The Picard Bead business started with a roadblock. It was 1971, and my parents Ruth and John Picard were driving South through Algeria in their trusty Deux Chevaux automobile. After starting from John’s parents’ house in France, and catching a ferry across the Strait of Gibraltar, their goal was to reach the island of Madagascar on the far side of the African Continent.
The Picard Bead business started with a roadblock. It was 1971, and my parents Ruth and John Picard were driving South through Algeria in their Citroen Deux Chevaux automobile. After starting from John’s parents’ house in France, and catching a ferry across the Strait of Gibraltar, their goal was to reach the island of Madagascar on the far side of the African Continent. The first step on this journey had involved navigating the small vehicle across the Sahara desert. “I think we were a little crazy,” my mother recently admitted.
Carburetor trouble in the Sahara, 1971.
My father John had fond memories of growing up as a high schooler in Madagascar, a singular place and a truly worthy destination.
Despite constant car trouble exacerbated by the intense heat, the young couple successfully crossed the massive desert and arrived at the Nigerian border on the southern side of Niger. They felt as if nothing could stop them.
Ruth Picard relaxing at a Saharan desert oasis, 1971.
“You can’t come into Nigeria,” the border guard said.
“Oh dear, we are trying to reach Madagascar. What should we do?” Ruth replied.
“Impossible. Chad and Sudan will never let you through.”
It was an impasse. The news that Madagascar was out of reach took some time to sink in.
They discussed together for several minutes what to do. Reluctantly, John wrenched the steering wheel into a sharp right turn, pointing the little Citroen towards West Africa. Though they felt sad to turn away from Madagascar, this turn would eventually result in a huge opportunity for the Picards.
It was in the coastal towns of Togo, Ghana, and Ivory Coast that they first discovered the African Trade beads. These were the unique beads that have fascinated them ever since. They were the beads that allowed my parents to build a successful business that supported our family as I grew up in Carmel, California.
Bead market in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire, 1971.
Later, in 1989, my parents expanded their African imports business to include new glass beads manufactured in Czechoslovakia, now the Czech Republic. To launch the new venture they placed a full page ad in Ornament magazine urging customers to “Czech out our new line.”
Today I would like to introduce our new website, Picard Czech Beads. With the launch of Picard Czech Beads I am excited to continue the bead tradition I have learned from my parents, while introducing modern features that will make each order easier.
My father John Picard’s passion for beads continues to this day. It can be seen in the high quality photos displayed on this site. He and I work together every day to fulfill orders, maintain the websites, and correspond with customers.
My father and I working in the Czech bead room of the Picard building in Carmel, CA.
We hope you will find Picard Czech Beads a useful resource for browsing Czech glass beads. Please send us any feedback or questions through the form on the About page.