Japanese Glass Fishing Floats Pendant Lights

Before we had plastic buoys, fishermen kept their nets and lines afloat with glass bulbs. Originally used in Norway in the 19th century, this technology made its way around the world. The examples we're most familiar with today have been collected by beachcombers along the West Coast, having been lost by Japanese fishermen many years ago. The bulbs were crafted by glassblowers from recycled glass, much of which came from sake bottles. Because the globes were produced in large quantities for utilitarian purposes, they often include imperfections and tiny bubbles, but collectors appreciate these as part of their hand-crafted character.