Glass bead researchers have paid little attention to tile beads for several reasons, e.g., late date of the probable manufacturing technology, the dominance by Czechoslovakian and French production centers for which there is little research, and the questionable identification of tile beads as true glass. A review of the history of the Prosser process for manufacturing buttons, and the use of Bapterosses type machines in the process, is given. A comparison of the results of energy-dispersive x-ray analysis of Prosser buttons, tile beads, and drawn glass beads led to the conclusion that Prosser buttons and tile beads are indeed glass, and like beads made in this manner are well within the legitimate domain of glass trade bead research.