Two basic methods were used to produce the majority of mould pressed beads. In the first, the end of a glass rod was heated over an oil Flame until it melted. A piece was then pinched from it and pressed in a tong‑like two‑piece mould. As the glass was compressed, any excess was forced out at the seam while a pin pierced the glass to form the hole.

In the second method, two pieces of viscid glass, one in either half of a two‑piece mould were pressed together to fuse them. This permitted the production of beads with complex color pattern that would have been destroyed or distorted in the previous method.

Most of the mould pressed beads come from Bohemia, and Jargstoff (1993) concentrates on Bohemian bead makers.