Then on to Mission San Carlos Borromeo, Carmel
Re: Trip to Picard Museum -- Joyce Post Reply Edit Forum Where am I?
Posted by: Joyce Mail author
03/16/2008, 22:07:52

Directly after the Picard Museum, we made a quick visit to Mission San Carlos Borromeo, the second California mission founded by Father Junipero Serra, a Franciscan missionary. This stone church, considered the gem of all the missions, was completed in 1797. Some Native Americans lived and worked at the mission, and helped to build the church. After many years of disrepair, the mission was restored to it's original beauty during the 1960s.

These glass beads were seen in a small museum display dedicated to the restoration, presumably found on the grounds during that time. I wish it were easier to show these beads. The whitish looking ones on the larger strand are 2-layer composite drawn and hand-faceted beads made in old Bohemia sometimes called "Russian Blues", about 10mm across. They have a milky inner layer and clear outer layer. The pinkish beads with the "Russians" appear to be old Chinese beads. The other colorful beads appeared to be a mix of Chinese and European glass beads.

The next image is of the African-traded "sisters" of the beads at the Carmel mission, about 7mm across, nearly pristine condition, from Picards some years ago. By total coincidence, I was wearing the beads yesterday, and at the mission. I really like these. They are currently on red-orange thread, which makes them glow nicely in natural light.

DSC04197.jpg (93.7 KB)  whtruss.jpg (65.1 KB)  


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