African Amber, Rare Rings Cut From a Larger Bead, 9x28mm, Sold in Set of 3
African Amber, Rare Rings Cut From a Larger Bead, 9x28mm, Sold in Set of 3
African Amber, Rare Rings Cut From a Larger Bead, 9x28mm, Sold in Set of 3
African Amber, Rare Rings Cut From a Larger Bead, 9x28mm, Sold in Set of 3

African Amber, Rare Rings Cut From a Larger Bead, 9x28mm, Sold in Set of 3

SKU: JSD-900
Sale price $45.00

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Only 1 in stock

Description

  • These beads are priced and sold as a set of 3
  • Two of these beads are slightly domed on one side indicating they were cut from the outer, rounded edges of a large bead. The other bead is flat on both sides and came from the middle, but probably from a different parent bead than the other 2
  • The center holes in all three have been significantly enlarged and are red-rimmed this is because phenolic resins turn red with heat, as from the action of a drill, or possibly from a heated metal pick, since the holes are all irregular
  • On the flip side (second image) you can see how hard it was to cut and pry these slices away from the source bead. The purpose was to make less heavy to wear in the hair then whole amber beads, possibly also to get at least 3 from one bead.
  • I can envision lots of possible uses for these and am more than a little tempted to keep them. 
  • The material these beads are made of is an early resin called phenolic thermosetting resin. It was developed in 1910. Bakelite is the best known brand name among several.
  • It probably started coming to Africa as a substitute for real Baltic amber in the 1930s and trade increased into the 1950s according to recent research by Rosana Falabella.
  • When I first started buying African beads in Abidjan in 1970, the Amber beads were the most expensive.They had been clearly accepted into the culture, mostly by women in Morocco, Mauritania and Mali, where they were worn as necklaces and also in the hair.
  • Several generations of newer resin beads have followed, some better than others, at a variety of prices, but none can approach the beauty and durability of the original phenolic resins which are now almost 100 years old, and wear it well.
  • All the African Amber beads being posted in June 2025 are from the collection of Joyce Diamanti, world traveler, bead collector, researcher, writer, editor and educator.  Mine remain in strands for the time being. See AFO-106, 119, 120, 122, and AFO-124. The Berber strands AFO-157-AFO-170 are a newer resin.