A piece of Japanese maritime history.
Before plastic and Styrofoam floats became the standard, glass floats were used by Japanese fishermen to keep their fishing nets afloat. When glass floats were phased out in favor of newer materials, many were decommissioned and set aside.
Our collection comes to us through an antique dealer who sources these floats directly from Japan. These are not “found” floats that washed ashore and were collected from beaches.
Each float has its own character and history. Because these are authentic decommissioned fishing floats rather than newly manufactured reproductions, you may find signs of their working life, including variations in the glass, light wear, salt residue, and differences in the twine or rope.
Choose from several styles and sizes:
2" Plain Glass Float
A small, unsigned glass fishing float without twine or rope.
2" Glass Float with Twine
Wrapped in twine, with variations in the color and condition of the wrapping.
2" Signed Glass Float with Twine
Features a Japanese maker's mark in the glass and a twine wrapping. Maker's marks vary from float to float.
3" Glass Float with Rope
A larger round float wrapped in rope. Rope materials vary and may include traditional natural fibers or plastic rope used during the later years of glass fishing-float production.
Rolling Pin Glass Float
A distinctive elongated Japanese fishing float rather than the traditional round shape.
Important information about your float
Each Japanese fishing float is unique. The photographs shown are representative of our collection; the exact float you receive will vary.
Variations may include glass color and texture, bubbles and imperfections within the glass, signs of age or use, salt residue, and differences in the color, material and condition of the twine or rope.
For the signed option, every float includes a maker's mark, but the specific mark cannot be selected.
These natural variations are part of the history and character of genuine decommissioned fishing floats.
