A digital archive showcasing the extensive collection of jewellery and adornment images shared on the former Ethnic Jewels Ning site over the years. These images have significantly enriched discussions on cultural adornment and its global dispersion.

Old Glass Beads

I found these glass beads while rummaging through the bins at a used silver/bead shop. Can anyone assist me in identification? I think the striped beads are Italian. I suspect that the black bead with red stripe and white spots to be truly ancient, but I am no expert.
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  • Hi Edith,

     

    We have at the centre top two indian chevron beads c 1980 ( aged) The black zig zag looks as if it may be Krobo glass, but more close up pics would be good.

    The red and white bead is Czech often used to make prayer bead strands  the blue cored striped ( smallest) beads is an awale bead ( Venetian c 1910)

    Would need another pic to tell you more about the middle sized chevron.

    Warm wishes

    S x

  • the 2 largest ones are Indian beads made to resemble the much-sought-after "chevrons" of Venetian make, but there is a real smaller Venetian one at the left, and a similar venetian-made one with a lot of light blue ("awale") which Sarah recognised. the black bead with a zigzag looks like a Krobo bead to me too, and the one with a pattern of dots is harder to discern- either an original black coral with hammered-in silver dots used on muslim prayer strands, or a bead intended to resemble it either of Czech moulded glass or bone with the dots cut through the stained surface into the pale bone material...

  • Thanks so much to both for this information!!!  The red spotted one is definitely glass, so it must be a Czech bead.  What is a Krobo bead???

  • the Krobo of Ghana make recycled beads by crushing and fusing glass in simple moulds and adding decoration of contrasting colours- giving an attractive rather rough finish

  • Thanks Stefany!  It is fascinating how far some of these pieces travel!!

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