Although most trade beads were accepted the way they arrived, sometimes beads were modified. In Ghana, we were horrified to discover that in some cases lampworked designs were being ground off of amber colored trade beads to make them look more like the traditional gold ornaments people there preferred.
In Abidjan, as vendors discovered that tabular beads fetched higher prices, some decided to try to create them out of cylindrical beads by breaking them up and re-fusing them in different shapes. This is one such example.
Considering the lack of experience and appropriate technology the results, at least in this case, are quite good, however these modified tabulars are easy to differentiate from the ones originally made in Venice.
Especially because the beads broken up to make this tabular were some of my all time favorites I hated to see them destroyed and did my best to discourage this practice. I think their lukewarm reception in the market also helped stop it.
Regardless of how we might feel about it this is a quite rare and collectible bead
Trade beads, including this one, has a hole big enough for 2mm leather cord
From the collection of Joyce Diamanti, bead researcher, writer and educator
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