Here's your chance to expand your bead collection with five excellent strands of mostly 19th century, some earlier, African trade beads! Diving right in, left to right:
1) 45 Bohemian faux chevron beads with one scarce millefiori at the center. These were Jablonec's look-alike answer to Venice's popular multi-layered chevrons, whose manufacturing technique was a closely guarded secret. (After all, who can tell the difference at a glance?) The strand measures 22.5 inches, including the 14x15mm millefiori. Excellent condition. Early 1800s.
2) 41 Venetian (and other) Dogon beads in cobalt blue, translucent white, and padre blue. Dogons were among the earliest European glass beads traded into West Africa. Some of those in this 20-inch graduated strand pre-date 1800. The smallest is 6x13mm and the largest is 16x18mm (a but under 3/4 inch). A couple of chips and characteristic hairline fractures on one side of the whites.
3) 37 Venetian biconical beads, including 21 yellow and 4 black King beads, many of them dating to the early 1800s. The Kings range from 13x16mm to 16x20mm, They are in remarkably good condition, with plenty of wear and great patina but only a few very minor dings. The strand, beads only, measures 20 inches.
4) 70 Dutch opalescent slices in excellent condition. The strand measures 21.5 inches. Mid-1800s. The opalescence is achieved by adding a silver compound to clear molten glass.
5) 35 Venetian red-and-yellow striped long oval beads, 28 black and 7 translucent green. Wear in the decoration on the green beads (see photos), but otherwise in good condition. Mid-1800s. The strand measures 24.75 inches. Individual beads average about 3/4 inch.
That adds up to 228 beads!
I have enjoyed collecting beads for 40 years and have finally decided to let go of my collection. I'm 87 and my kids aren't interested in beads. The bulk of my collection came directly from African traders, trusted bead shop owners, and estate sales, and, with Native American beads, from finders and highly-regarded dealers and auction houses.