eBay Guides - Ebay Beachcombing for European Glass Fishing Floats

The description or heading of an Ebay auction often reads: "Japanese glass fishing float". Looking at the auction, I realize that the float is not a Japanese float, but is in fact, a European-made float. This is a common mistake. Many people who see a glass float automatically associate it with the popular Japanese floats, which continue to wash ashore on Pacific Coast beaches. As rare as it is to find people, at least on the East Coast, who even know what a glass fishing float is, most who do know are only familiar with the Japanese glass ball, and think that all glass floats are Japanese-made. It is a rare occurrence when a European-made float washes ashore on the Pacific Coast. But these Euros have washed ashore on other coastal beaches.

They are sometimes found on European beaches, Gulf Coast beaches, South America's coastline, the Bahamas, the Virgin Islands, up rivers in Florida and along the Florida and Southeastern coastal beaches. On rare occasions they are also found washed ashore on the shorelines of the Northeastern states, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Labrador and Greenland. Many Portugese floats have been beachcombed, then later reused to mark lobster pots, by Australian fishermen. Today, these beachcombed finds are rare and exceptional. I have communicated with one man who beachcombed a large number of floats in the early 1990's along a portion of Nova Scotia. According to this man, no one else cared about them, and the floats were there for the taking.
People are finding them--right now. A few people are still finding them in large numbers. These European glass float caches are not being beachcombed, but are being found in old fishing sheds or boat houses, and the attics, barns and cellars of fishermen who have passed on. Like some of the people who search the long-unused sheds and dump sites of Japanese fishermen, and who sometimes find a thousand or more glass floats in one spot, there are smaller, but similar finds to be had in Europe and Canada. This is the exception. What is happening right now, is that because of Ebay glass float auctions, floats that have been long hidden away in someone's attic, cellar, shed, barn or dump, are found and sold for income.
I have been finding, and collecting glass fishing floats for almost 30 years. My first European-made float find was marked, "Made in Germany", with a clover embossing on the seal. That first Euro was found while visiting my family in New Jersey. I found it shining in the summer sun on a yard sale table.
For anyone interested in collecting or buying and selling the fascinating Euros, I would suggest that you get a copy of two books. The first book would by Amos L Wood's, BEACHCOMBING FOR JAPANESE GLASS FLOATS, and the second book would be Stu Farnsworth's and Alan D Rammer's, GLASS FISHING FLOATS OF THE WORLD. Mr. Wood's book will acquaint you with the excitement of beachcombing. It also contains a list of many makers' markings--Asian, American and European marks. The Farnsworth/Rammer book illustrates most of the known European makers' markings, as well as containing a price guide, which can be helpful to both sellers and buyers. While the dollar values expressed in that book are not a guarantee of a float's worth, the prices quoted do definitely illustrate the rarity of some floats. I have found the prices quoted in the book, and what they sell for on Ebay auctions, depends on the rarity of the marking or color, and the desire of collectors to add the float to their collection. It is an excellent guide, and the only price guide that I know of. The authors' descriptions of the individual floats' sizes, colors and locations of markings are also helpful. There is a third book that is a must as well, to both sellers and collectors of Asian fishing floats--Walt Pich's, GLASS BALL A COMPREHENSIVE GUIDE FOR ORIENTAL GLASS FISHING FLOATS FOUND ON PACIFIC BEACHES. Even though I am writing a guide about European glass fishing floats, this is just too fine of a book to not mention.
So, how does one tell the difference between a European and an Asian float? One of the most obvious signs of the more modern Euros, are the float's size and the mold lines. Very few styles of Japanese floats, except for the 3in. diameter, 3-part mold-blown floats, commonly known as Korean floats, have mold lines. Most European floats with mold lines are 4.5in. and 5.0in. diameter floats, as opposed to the 3in. "Koreans". While it is common for the 4.5 and 5.0in. European floats to have mold lines, most of the older European floats do not have them. They are seamless. I believe that the mold-blown floats were produced in the last few decades of glass fishing float production.
Most European round glass floats are sized from approximately 2in. diameter to 8in. diameter. The 4.5-5.0in. diameter floats have been the most common sizes to appear on Ebay auctions, but that "norm" has changed dramatically during the last year. Many of the smaller sizes, and newly-seen shapes are appearing for sale. European glass floats are not only marked on the seal button, which is the small gather of glass that covers and seals the hole left from the breaking off of the float from the blowpipe, but are also commonly embossed on the side of the float, or on the top of the float. They are sometimes also embossed along the mold line. If the European floats have a maker's marking, the markings are either numbers or definite English letters or wording such as: "British Made"; 'Made in England'; 'Made in Germany'; 'R.G. Portugal'; 'Made in Norway' or 'Made in Czechoslovakia". Some of the letters that you will find are: "LT'; 'FGC'; 'VB'; 'L'; 'M'; 'CM'; 'P.C.F."; and the Norwegian F-series lettered and numbered form Fl to F8.
Should you purchase the Farnsworth/Rammer book, you will find many more markings then those mentioned above. There are also illustrations of floats with numbers, different anchor markings and fish marked floats. I cannot stress enough the need to have a good book to refer to, whether you are a buyer or a seller. As a beginner or even a seasoned float seller or collector, you never know where or when you will happen upon a truly rare glass float. If you are not familiar with what you are seeing, you may forever regret missing your once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
European fishing floats were not only made as round balls, they also come in wonderful shapes such as the green Bornholmer Kugels or German-made, "dog's neck", floats. There are other dog neck styles, colors and sizes as well. Up until this past year, I had not seen a dog's neck float on Ebay auctions. A collector who lives in Sweden has been selling his extras. He goes by the Ebay name of "Swedie 66". Since he started selling this wonderful and rare shaped float, other people are beginning to list their dog necks as well. This seller has also been listing rare Swedish-made round floats from his collection.
Then there is the collector and seller, "Pereinar 123". He has definitely enhanced the availability of European floats. During the past year, Pereinar has been listing numerous Euros on a constant basis. Most of his floats are Norwegian-made. The Norwegians are not only credited as being the first makers of glass fishing floats, but were also the largest European users of them. He has listed many new sizes, shapes and colors of both marked and unmarked Norwegian and other European glass floats. And he has listed some of the rarest European markings seen on Ebay. In his auctions, the rare grooved egg-shaped floats with and without the dotted F marking, beautifully netted and non-grooved egg-shaped floats, the crossed 3-Fish, the ultra-rare teardrops, and the beautiful Flesland Glasvoerk round grooved floats have appeared. He has also listed museum-quality cod and herring nets complete with their floats. His auctions contain hard-to-find historical information as well, and he has written a fact-filled guide to Norwegian floats. It's always exciting to wonder what will appear next in either of these two seller's auctions.
There is also another collector from Norway, "bestofnorway", who occasionally lists his extra European floats for sale on Ebay auctions. This motivated Euro float collector and seller has his own glass float site on the web called, bestnorwegian. His listings of markings, and historical information are excellent. Spend some time browsing on the net, and you will find many other excellent glass float sites created by passionate and inspired glass float collectors.
As time passes, and you build your collection of Euros, you will come to find out which floats are more common and readily available such as the embossed Scrolled 65's, the Made in England FGC's, the German clover and the British Made with the star. It is important to keep in mind that even the more common Euro floats are also found in shapes and colors which are rare and valuable. More than ever, glass fishing floats made in Europe are appearing on Ebay auctions from countries all over the world Today's possibilities for all collectors from the beginner to the veteran are exciting.
Whether you purchase Euros for their beauty as part of a decorating scheme, perhaps to have a piece of history or as a collector, you will be amazed at the quality of the glass used, as well as the deep rich colors that they were made in. Rich shades of green, both the yellow/green and brown ambers, sun-turned pinks, aquamarine, red and cobalt blue floats are appearing. If you enjoy the artistry that it took to make the macrame roping that surrounds and protects the floats, some of the finest and oldest examples are found on European floats. Somewhere back in time, a fisherman or member of his family worked into the stormy night netting the floats, and should you own one of these gems, you will in some way, be in touch with those people. Many European glass fishing floats are true antiques, which means that they are 100 or more years old. Hopefully, the joy and excitement that I feel on a daily basis as a collector of European and other glass floats will touch your spirit as well.