Set of 6 antique Bohemian (Czech) blue "agate" beads in various shapes
These came from early Fulani Wedding bead strands, aka "lightbulb beads"
Intrepid "market researchers" from the Czech bead factories of the 1800s ventured into all the frontiers of Africa, Asia, and the Americas to determine what beads the indigenous people liked, and which could be imitated by the Bohemian bead industry.
Imitating stones in "agate" glass was one of their triumphs.
These beads were made specifically for the African Trade
During the late 1970s and early 1980s I was wholesaling a line of necklaces made with beads from Fulani Wedding Bead strands. In those days the strands contained many more interesting beads than they do today and hundreds of strands passed through my hands.
Prompted by the Picards' books (see Tools Collection) I started setting aside examples of all the different beads I found in those strands, sorted into trays by color, type, and design. Those trays have been stashed in boxes for decades. Now I'm gradually working through them and sharing them with you. Enjoy!
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