• Red Bohemian Glass Hummingbird Egg Beads, Circa early 1900s (Origin: Europe; Collected: Africa); (Some beads are opaque and others are transculent)
• Handcrafted Silver with Nickel Content Repousse’ Lotus Flower Rectangle and Cylinder Beads from Nepal, Circa Unknown (Origin: Nepal; Collected: Nepal)
• Handcrafted Sterling Silver Toggle Clasp from Bali
• Sterling Silver Findings
• Finished with Silver French Bullion
• Length: 19”

N0811-118

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BOHEMIAN GLASS HUMMINGBIRD EGG TRADE BEADS: Many Bohemia glass beads were made in a molding method. These beads were probably made by the Prosser technique which is a special type of molding. Brothers Richard and Thomas Prosser invented a machine in 1840 to accomplish an almost seamless and precise mold. The machine subjects a pellet of clay mixed with other ingredients to pressure in a die. Then they are fired and the finished beads are fairly exact in form. Prosser beads will have seams but they are hard to spot and may have been tumbled away. Because these rich Red Glass beads were oval in shape, they were given the name of Hummingbird Eggs, Circa early 1900s (Origin: Bohemian Europe; Collected: Africa).

REPOUSSE’ LOTUS FLOWER BEADS: Repousse’ is an ancient art of metalworking technique in which a malleable metal (silver and nickel) is ornamented or shaped by hammering from the reverse side. This process has been used for thousands of years to make everything from jewelry to religious icons and is considered nowadays as almost a “lost art.” The Lotus Flower basically symbolizes the clarity of the heart as well as the mind. In other words, it represents strength, good luck, long life, honor and respect. Some scholars have even talked of the Lotus Flower being a universal presentation of the spiritual presence in human lives. Notice the intricate details of these beads, age unknown (Origin: Nepal; Collected: Nepal).
 

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