African Amber, Antique Diamond Shape, Rare Translucent Marbeling & 2 Holes, 35x35mm
SKU: JSD-1473
Sale price
$49.00
Shipping calculated at checkout
Only 1 in stock
Description
- Antique African amber rare diamond shaped bead, perfectly symmetrical at 35x35mmmm
- The holes at the pointy ends show smooth cone shaped wear, testifying to long usage in a necklace. When held up to a light you can see straight through the bead where translucent resin is swirled around more opaque material. All in all , this is a serious collectors' piece or designer's inspiration. The bead is even more attractive in real life as opposed to these magnified images which show small scars not otherwise noticabel
- The center holes were drilled so women could wear these in their hair, but they also offer us a variety of creative options for designing with them today.
- The material these vintage/antique beads are made of is an early synthetic called phenolic thermosetting resin. It was developed in 1910. Bakelite is the best known brand among several European manufacturers producing faux amber beads, jewelry and household products before World War II.
- Phenolic resin amber beads probably started coming to Africa as a substitute for real Baltic amber in the 1920s and 1930s and trade lasted into the 1950s according to recent research by Rosanna Falabella.
- Several generations of newer resin beads have followed, some better than others, but none can approach the beauty and durability of the original phenolic resins which are now almost 100 years old, and wear it well.
- From the collection of Joyce Diamanti, bead researcher, writer and educator
- Only one available