African Amber, Giant, Dark Reddish Crackled Bead, 35x41mm
SKU: JSD-981
Sale price
$55.00
Shipping calculated at checkout
Out of stock
Description
- Giant, reddish, short cylinder bead 35x41mm The dark reddish color and the number of scratches and surface of this bead attest to its age. A light coat of pure coconut oil would probably be very rejuvenating, it benefits other old beads.
- According to Rosanna Falabella, some beads turn red with age, others can be forced into this change by heating briefly between 121-177 degrees C
- Most African Amber beads have perforations of 2mm or larger
- 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
- 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 Rosanna Falabella.
- When I first started buying African beads in Abidjan in 1970, the Amber beads were the most expensive strands. Although comparatively recent arrivals, they clearly had been accepted into the culture, mostly by women in Morocco, Mauritania and Mali, where they were worn as necklaces, and also in the hair.
- They should not be confused with several generations of newer resin beads, some better than others. They cost much less and have their place, but none can approach the beauty and durability of the original phenolic resins, which are now almost 100 years old, and wear it well.
- Almost 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 mostly in strands for the time being. See AFO-106, 119, 120, 122, and AFO-124. The Berber strands AFO-157-AFO-170 are of a newer resin at about 1/10 the price of the originals.