There has been a long tradition of finding glass floats along the Oregon Coast.
In the past, these were made specifically for the nets of Japanese fishermen. More recently, they’ve been reimagined by local artists using the same time-honored glassblowing techniques that have been passed down for generations.
The first mention of the manufacture of glass fishing floats was recorded in Norway’s Hadeland Glassverk registry in 1841. Around that same time, fishermen in Norway began using them with their nets, lines, and hooks.
In the Pacific, Japan’s fishing fleet started using glass floats around 1910. By the 1940s, glass had replaced nearly every other material used for fishing floats.
Though the traditional use of glass for fishing has since been replaced by modern materials like plastic and aluminum, many of those original glass floats still drift with the Pacific currents — rare treasures that occasionally wash ashore on Oregon beaches.
During the 1960s, these “good-will messengers” arrived in such abundance that author Amos L. Wood wrote Beachcombing for Japanese Glass Floats in 1967, celebrating the beauty and mystery of each ocean-worn orb.
Today, authentic finds are rare, but their mystery and enchantment live on through local glassblowers who carry forward this coastal art form.
At Ocean Beaches Glassblowing, we’re proud to continue this tradition in our Seal Rock studio — shaping, coloring, and finishing each float by hand just as artisans did a century ago.
Every piece we make is signed and dated, becoming part of the story that began generations ago on the open sea.
Explore our Float Collection HERE
Or visit our gallery to watch glass floats being made and experience this living tradition in person.
