Extra Large Oval Baoule Lost Wax Cast beads from Ivory Coast.
Openwork beads with finely braided longitudinal rope design.
Baoule work is made in similar ways to the Ghanaian lost wax cast beads, but tends to be much more delicate and precise. Brass color is more uniform too.
Because the design is so open, these beads are also considerably lighter than many other cast brass beads
Each of these beads is first made in wax - in this case thin strings of wax are braided. That in itself is a feat in the tropical heat! I've watched it being done.
The wax is then covered by clay, the clay mold is heated and the wax runs out through openings left for that purpose.
Molten recycled metal is poured in. After cooling, the clay mold is broken open and the beads are removed, cleaned, and polished.
In this long, delicate, and laborious process it's inevitable that some beads are not perfect, but there only the most minor and barely noticeable imperfections in these beads -- truly remarkable workmanship.
These beads are the big sisters of AFM-1, same design, but smaller and round
From the collection of Joyce Diamanti who lived and traveled widely in Africa.
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