Rudolf was a son of a professional master solderer. After World War 1 in, the Nazi party annexed the Sudetenland in 1938. Gablonz became German territory. As an educated master-solderer, Rudolf was required to go to war at the age of 18. Gablonz fell into Russian hands. As the war ended, Russia expelled most of the German-speaking population from the Sudetenland, forcing them to leave their lives and businesses behind.
Fortunately, Rudolf landed in the American-occupied zone, avoiding the Russian prisoner-of-war camps. As a low-ranked soldier, Rudolf was released from the Americans shortly after the war and migrated to Neugablonz Germany (New Gablonz).
Many of the German-speaking neighbors and colleagues escaped from their former homes in Gablonz with nothing. One by one, these skilled craftsmen rebuilt the fashion-jewelry industry that was devastated by the war. Neugablonz encompasses and was built in the area of an old ammunition factory. The Sudeten Germans gathered to reform a new fashion-jewelry industry because each trade or craft needed the other specialists (tool-making, mold-making, castings, soldering, glass bead production, etc.).
As a very skilled and educated brass master solderer, Rudolf found work quickly in Bavaria, and established his own company in 1947 -- just a few years after returning from the war. From the very beginning, he started to make clasps and fashion jewelry out of brass. As the business grew, the clasp production expanded into tin and sterling silver. About that time, Rudolf met Maria, a war widow with her three-year-old daughter Heidi and they married.
Maria & Rudolf ran the company together for many years, before selling to Heidi & her Husband in 1986. In 1999, Heidi's son Hans Kutter joined the business and eventually took over leadership in 2014. Hans realized that bead stores and the general public could not usually purchase the minimum quantities for production -- which usually requires 100+ of any style. In 2008, he founded Claspgarten.com. Claspgarten was built as a brand to bring the world's best clasps to everyday consumers, jewelry-makers, designers, artists, stores, and maybe even you!
Today, Claspgarten a family member of Potomax Brands. Claspgarten has joined PotomacBeads, BeadOnIt, FloraTrel, & BeadTec. Each of these brands strives to be the best it it’s industry segment -- providing customers and community members with more every year. Claspgarten also now ships from the United States, with primary production remaining in Germany.
With 70 years of experience making the best clasps in the world, Claspgarten looks forward to another 70 years of creating amazing clasps, findings, & DIY supplies to make your creative life happier!
