Rare California Finds, and a Warning over Fake Sea Glass

Mary T. McCarthy, a beachcombing expert and crack sea-glass detective, is flying out from Maryland this weekend to speak at the Santa Barbara Sea Glass and Ocean Arts Festival. She’ll discuss how to spot the difference between authentic sea glass and the fake stuff, which has flooded the market and frequently disappoints buyers. 

McCarthy estimated up to 70 percent of the product out there, whether it’s sold online or in a beachside shop, is marketed as real, ocean-worn glass when it was actually artificially distressed with a rock tumbler or sand blaster. The counterfeits can easily end up in a person’s collection, McCarthy explained, or worse, set in an expensive piece of jewelry. “People are ripped off every day,” she said. “And I hate seeing people get cheated.”

Ahead of her talk, McCarthy offered a couple tips on how to distinguish between the two. Real sea glass is often rougher and more uneven than the knock-offs, which tend to be more uniformly smooth. “If it looks too good to be true, it probably is,” she said. Authentic glass also has a more frosted patina, whereas artificial glass shows a more satiny finish.

Many sellers will also brand their merchandise as “recycle” or “cultured” to make it sound more authentic, McCarthy explained. While their production methods have gotten more sophisticated over the years, “they can never really replicate what the ocean does.” And those who boast the most about the legitimacy of their glass are often the ones to look out for. “A guilty dog barks the loudest,” she said. The surest way to avoid being duped is to purchase directly from beachcombers themselves, and not rely on shadowy third-party distributors.

But McCarthy’s visit won’t be only focused on this topic. She’ll also be on-hand all weekend to help festival attendees identify the origins of their favorite pieces. As a history nut with decades of experience in sea glass, McCarthy can quickly tell if a beach find is something special (part of a Victorian tea set, for instance) or just an old Heineken bottle.

When examining a piece, she looks for clues like lettering or designs, and takes into account shape, color, texture, and so on. “I take a Nancy Drew approach to sea glass,” she laughed. Much of what we find here in Santa Barbara can be difficult to pinpoint with 100 percent accuracy, however, “because the waves in California pound everything within an inch of their lives” and often erase distinguishing marks, McCarthy said.

Coming from the East Coast, where it’s possible to find porcelain dolls still fully intact, she nevertheless appreciates what Southern California has to offer. “Some of what I see is absolutely stunning,” she said, pointing to a marble and bottle stopper that took home prizes at last year’s festival, where attendees bring their best finds to be judged during the Treasure Contest.

And within McCarthy’s personal collection, some of her all-time favorites came from California, not New England. Like a Victorian intaglio garnet carved with the portrait of Artemis, Greek goddess of the moon and the hunt.

These days, after so many years of filling her shelves, McCarthy’s beachcombing is more about “the hunt” itself, not “the craze of acquiring.” “It’s easy to get focused on the finds and the awards,” she said. “But being out there getting fresh air with friends or family, or doing it alone ― that’s where the real treasure lies.”

Festival hours are 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. on Sunday. The venue is the Santa Barbara Elks Lodge #613, located at 150 N. Kellogg Ave in Santa Barbara.

Admission is $7 for adults and free for those under 12-years old. Two-day passes are $12. Early-Bird Tickets $15. Parking is free.