**First Time At Auction**
West Africa, Ghana, likely originating in Western Europe, Netherlands, ca. 19th to early 20th century CE. A beautiful and wearable necklace strung with 20 large glass trade beads of a light aqua hue. Each bead is made using a hot, arduous process by West African craftsman to form a spherical shape with gorgeous, near-translucent surface, often describes as having a "sugary" texture. The terminal strands are strung with small wood spacer beads and a silver plated hook clasp for wearing. This certainly is a bold statement piece! Size (necklace): 20.75" L (52.7 cm); (bead): 1.27" W (3.2 cm)
These beads were manufactured in molds and small kilns made from termite mounds lined with kaolin clay. Termite mound kilns could be fired at temperatures around 850-1000 degrees Farenheit, quite low for making glass - hence that "sugary" look! The beads were made by pouring powdered glass into the mold around a cassava stick, then heated for roughly an hour. They are rotated to make them round, so that each has a slightly unique shape. Finally, they are washed on a stone grinding slab to remove the kaolin clay and smooth the surface.
Provenance: private Boulder, Colorado, USA collection, acquired in 2018
All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.
A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.
We ship worldwide and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience.
#161682
Condition
Nicks and chips around openings. Wearable, strung in modern times.