History of Picard Czech Beads

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.