1940s Gold Glass Beaded Jacket 5131 – 33

In my younger days I was taught Native American beading techniques and I practiced them often, making little ornaments with peyote stitch and loom work. Given this experience, I was completely awed when found this magnificent creation made entirely of gold colored glass beads. At first look I figured this was made on a loom (which would have been a great undertaking), but under magnification I can see it is a very different technique than the ones I have learned. After a little research I think it is a flat square stitch, which dates back as far as 15th Century England where pone bead is woven onto another bead, one by one, and so on and so on. Using this technique the artist was able to create the jacket only with the beads and threads, using only a thin strip of ribbed ribbon along the edges to finish it off so the beads lay right against your skin. The jacket was finished off with raised beading at the seams and along the edges adding another dimension of fabulous to the piece. It must have been hours upon hours of painstakingly difficult work but it paid off as this is a very strong, extremely beautiful jacket, The overall effect is stunning! It looks like liquid gold, and feels divine. It is heavy, and the beads absorb your body heat as they lay against you like a second skin. I am dating this jacket to the 1940s, based on the ribbon and the over all style, but honestly it could be earlier or later by 10 – 20 years. I think the beads are Czech but where this beauty was made, I have no idea. As said before, it is unlined and there are no closures.

condition: excellent – very strong

no size, fits like a 6

bust approx 36″ worn open, 32″ when meeting in the center
waist approx 32″
shoulder seam to shoulder seam 13″
length 25″