Sea Glass Gems and Rainbow Beach Finds

By Lucy Tapper

Sea glass hunters Lucy and Steve and their family spend weekends in Devon, England, scouring the sand for treasures to add to their collection. They created the handy Sea Glass Guidewith information about beach finds, concise explanations, clear photos, and room to add your own notes. Next to each beach find is information and history about where it may have come from. The guide fits in a beach bag with your snacks and gear and features your name on the cover and checklists to track your growing collection. Learn more at www.fromlucy.com.

View Lucy's illustrated poem: A Recipe for Sea Glass.

Sea Glass Gems

Carnival Glass

Carnival glass is pressed or blown multicolored rainbow-like glass, giving it an oil slick effect. It was first produced by spraying metallic salts onto hot glass in the early 1900s as a cheaper alternative to expensive blown iridescent glass. Small chunks of this wonderful glass are a top find for any sea glass hunter.

Royal Ruby Red Sea Glass

Red sea glass is extremely rare and was produced by a difficult and expensive process of using gold to achieve the ruby red color. In 1949, glass manufacturers Anchor Hocking invented a new type of red glass named Royal Ruby, in which the deep red color was achieved by the addition of copper oxide to the molten glass rather than gold chloride. They produced beer bottles for the Schlitz Brewing Company and occasionally these highly prized Royal Ruby red gems wash up on beaches, mainly  on the sands of Puerto Rico.

Glass Heart

These decorative little hearts are used as wedding decorations, as gifts or in crafting. Sometimes they find their way into the sea and are washed up with a beautiful ocean-worn frosted look.

Complete Coke Bottle

Most sea glass hunters will only ever find pieces of Coca-Cola bottles, but occasionally a whole frosted bottle will be gifted by the tide. Coke bottles vary depending on when they were made and can be over 100 years old.

Glass Dice

These beautiful vintage dice can be found in many different colors and sizes. They are often tiny, so it is always worth double checking those little pieces in the sand.

Sea Glass Insulator

Invented in 1844, insulators were installed on telegraph, telephone, and power lines to separate the wires from the tall wooden poles and to allow electricity to pass through without interference. They were manufactured between 1875 and 1970. Insulators come in all colors, aqua being the most common.

Glass Walking Stick

Occasionally a section of a twisted glass walking stick finds its way onto the beach. These canes were used as decorations by Victorians and were sometimes filled with tiny sweets. Some believed a glass cane, or “witch stick” could ward off evil spirits.

Pirate Glass Marble

Sea glass marbles made from pirate glass are rare and beautiful when a light shines through them.

Make a Rainbow

Prism of Pottery

Ceramic shards come in many wonderful colors. Once you have collected enough you can make a rainbow like this!

Shimmering Sea Rainbow

Sometimes if you’re really lucky, you can find sea glass in every color, all on the same day!

Perfect Pile

Balancing a pile of your favorite pieces is called a “stack.” This makes a beautiful photo, especially if you can catch it with the sun shining through.

More from the Sea Glass Guide:

• Sea Glass Guide: Ocean Orbs and Tidal Treasures
• Sea Glass Guide: Sculpted by the Waves and Fabulous Finds
• Sea Glass Guide: Strange Sea Glass and Sea Glass Wonders of the World
• Sea Glass Guide: Bucket List Finds and Sea Stoppers

All photos courtesy of Lucy Tapper. Learn more at lucytapper.com.

This article appeared in Beachcombing Magazine Volume 43 July/August 2024.