Luann, I think you might be onto something: www.rosaryworkshop.com; then search on "Old Picasso Beads." (I tried to post a link but it doesn't work.)

"We asked how Picasso beadsd were made. Tomas explained, ‘The picasso finish beads were pressed into the shapes, then fire polished, which is to subject them to high heat for a short time to melt just the very outer layer of glass to make them smooth, or polished. Then they were subjected to various heated gasses from metals to get the coatings, which are on the beads. I don't know why they are called picasso.' Thse are from Austria and are pre war - 1940."