Cherry orders Amber Color Beads Africa Jk Brown Collection 140779

PRODUCT DETAILS

+ Type of Object - resin or plastic
+ Made In - Europe
+ Traded In - Africa
+ Overall Condition - Good. Some of our beads have orders traveled at least three continents, and have graced numerous owners. Small chips, corrosion, and pitting are a normal part of their patina attesting to their age and extensive use.
+ Bead Size - 22 mm diameter.(measurement is approximate). See picture with penny for size comparison. U.S. penny is 19mm in diameter.
+ Strand Length - 22 inches (includes string/raffia)
+ Brand - Unbranded

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION

Provenance: From the JK Brown Collection:



Kathie and Jerry Brown have been collecting trade beads for more than 50 years. They had a business selling them for many years, called “Thunder and Lightning.” According to Jerry, “Kathie was the lightning, and I was the thunder!”



Their collecting began in 1967 when they met a Peace Corps volunteer who was selling his collection to finance a school for African children - and the Browns bought it all. Over the years, they've amassed thousands of strands of Venetian and other European trade beads, as well as made-in-Africa beds and jewelry. They sold at Mountain Man rendezvous and other events. Africa Direct is very proud to be the new owners of this extraordinary collection.

These beads were made in Africa (probably Mauritania) and are intended to simulate amber, since true amber is both extremely prized and very scarce. Although they are an imitation, "African Amber" beads like these are beautiful and valuable in their own right.

Additional information: For more information, please see our comprehensive guide to African-made beads, African Beads: Jewels of a Continent, hardcover, 216 pages, 163 color photographs, available from Africa Direct.

These are not amber. Beads sold as "amber" by traders include beads made of amber, copal, resins and plastics. Superb ethnic jewelry, including pieces from China, Tibet, Ethiopia, Somalia and Mali, among others, are made from these "amberoids." I don't know the chemical makeup of these beads and don't want to be misleading....so I'll say they are "described as amber."

DL1020


SKU: 140779