A spinoff from our last blog, this post is all about the sea glass found when we were visiting San Francisco with our friends, the history behind it and how we plan on incorporating it into our current Shoreline Collection!
While at Cliff House beach, (near Ocean Beach) Elizabeth, myself and our friend Tori sacrificed our dry warm clothes for beautiful pieces of seaglass hiding in the shorebreak.
After Tori first found a beautiful green piece of seaglass, we knew that where there's one, there must be more.
So instead of running from the waves each time they rolled on shore (this only worked a few times before we realized how silly we looked), we ditched our shoes and socks, rolled up our jeans, and went to work wading in the freezing Pacific ocean.
Although we spent nearly an hour laughing and playing in the water, so excited each time we found a piece of glass, this was work that we didn't mind doing.
We even captured stunning photographs that we are excited to share, as the landscape that surrounded us combined with the gemlike hues of the seaglass, was truly unbelievable.
In fact, we always somehow end up working on our trips, even if it's just networking with new friends and sharing our love for art and jewelry.
The pieces we harvested were beautiful green, turquoise, white and cobalt blue that are unique to that area for a few reasons.
What we learned from the welcome center at the top of the cliff that overlooks the beach, is that these pieces of glass are directly from the Sutro Baths and old soda/beer bottles sold by the Merrie Way concession stands that used to line the beach.
The Sutro Baths, developed in 1894, was an expansive recreational saltwater pool for San Franciscans to enjoy. The baths featured seven swimming pools, an aquarium at the top of the structure, and also boasted impressive engineering and artistic architecture.
After losing popularity after the Great Depression, a fire eventually destroyed the baths, and the remains have belonged to the Golden Gate National Recreation Area since 1973.
According to a display at the welcome center, these pieces of seaglass may be from old stained glass from the baths, circa 1893.
From the Merrie Way concessions, which no longer exist in the area, the pieces of glass could also be from the Rainier Beer company, Belfast Ginger Ale CO./S.F circa 1881-920, and the New Century Soda Works/San Francisco circa 1880's - 1910.
Not mentioned at the welcome center however, is a shipwreck from the 1800's that happened just offshore near the cliffs seen from the beach. It's well known that ships carried glass vessels on board for storage, and this is yet another piece of history that could solve the mystery behind the pieces of seaglass we've found.
No matter how many pieces of sea glass we find over the years, we are still amazed at the individual beauty and the journey from other parts of the world that takes them to where we eventually find them perfectly shaped by sand and the rolling currents.
In each piece of jewelry we create with these ocean treasures, we hope that the wearer also feels the sense of mystery, delight and connection to the sea as we do.
The appreciation we have for Mother Earth, history and travel sparks our inspiration for collections such as the Shoreline Collection, and we hope that our clients enjoy our creations as much as we enjoy the process of making them.
© 2024 Elizabeth Sarah Collections. Theme by Clean Themes. This store is PCI Compliant
