Bohemian Antique Glass Amber Imitation, 18x39mm
SKU: AFE-891
Sale price
$5.00
Shipping calculated at checkout
Out of stock
Description
- Antique Bohemian molded glass amber imitation bead
- 18x30mm with one big check and many smaller ones attesting to it's long hard life
- I used to reject these glass faux amber beads when I would occasionally find one on a strand of African Amber, but today I realize they are even more rare and collectible than the beads they were imitating!
- From the mid-1800s to early 1900s many European countries were competing (by fair means and foul) for a share of the African bead trade. Bohemian beadmakers had many successes, but imitating amber wasn't one of them.
- The phenolic resin "African Amber" beads have continue to increased in value over the years while the glss amber imitations sank into obscurity, of interest only to collectors today. I actually like this example because it chips and scratches (mostly on the other side) show that it was worn, traded, and widely traveled before making it here, ready to take a rest in somebody's collection.
- Only one set like this available
- Bohemia (now in the Czech Republic) was a prolific maker and exporter of glass beads for the African trade from the 1850 to about 1900.