Lovely antique African amber, honey color oblates 15x24mm
These coordinate very nicely with Venetian amber color lampworked glass trade beads, millefiori trade beads, African bone, metal and more.
There are some nice imitations available these days but if you want the real thing, choose these! Good loose beads are hard to find. If these sell I'll let some more out of my hands and onto the site for you :)
“African Amber” is by now antique (more than 100 years old), but it’s not the same material as Baltic amber that's millions of years old.
What’s been called “African Amber” or “Copal Amber” in the trade was actually made of a phenolic thermosetting resin known as PF Resin or Bakelite, patented in 1909 for industrial uses. By 1910-20 it was being used for imitation amber and costume jewelry in Europe.
Soon thereafter Bohemian glass beadmakers catering to the African market introduced the original “African Amber” between the world wars, with shapes and designs specifically created to please their customers, who quickly adopted it for its own merits.
African Amber was by far the most expensive bead in West African markets when I lived there, highly valued by the residents as well as visitors and expats.
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