AF369. These two old silver rings are quite expensive
- but I thought that they were interesting and unusual enough to bring
to the pages. These are Ethiopian and could easily have been made
to contain some magical properties. The rings are both around a size
10.5 - 11. $150.US/each ring
(#2 is sold)
AF370. These two strands of beads are known as "amazonite"
but are a combination of stones. There is a combination of ages of
beads too - ranging from ancient to some newly cut. They look absolutely
wonderful and it is good to see that the working of beads in Africa can
become a business again. The 34+ inch strands look great and wearable
as is, but the beads are great for projects too as they have unusually
large stringing holes. $395.US/each strand (#1
is sold)
AF371. These 25 inch long strands of ancient carnelians are
very attractive. They have a good warm colour. $115.US/each
strand.
AF373. Strand # 4 is available. $110.US.
AF375. These are all old Ethiopian crosses. Most have
the original hanging loops on them and you can see the wear. A few
have had them replaced as they have worn through. $75.US/each cross.
(#5, #7 & #8 are available)
AF376. These are all old Ethiopian crosses. Most have
the original hanging loops on them and you can see the wear. A few
have had them replaced as they have worn through. $65.US/each cross.
(#6, #7, #8, #9 & #13 are available)
AF377. These are all old Ethiopian crosses. Most have
the original hanging loops on them and you can see the wear. A few
have had them replaced as they have worn through. $95.US/each cross.
(#9 is sold)
AF379. Silver Ethiopian beads, often used wound around
the ankles - I find these really great to use as spacers in other projects
- sold at $1.50 gram.. Strand #1 - 10 1/2 inches - 51 grams - $76.50.
Strand #2 - 11 1/2 inches - 76.2 grams - $114.30.
Strand #3 - 22 inches - 50.1 grams - $75.15. Strand
#4 - 22 inches - 42.9 grams - $44.40. Strand #5
- 10 1/2 inches - 16.3 grams - $24.45. (#2 is available)
AF380. Old coral beads from north Africa - 183
grams/18 inches in length. $915.US. (sold)
AF382. Old tubular coral beads from north Africa -
65.8 grams/17 1/2 inches long. $345.US. (sold)
AF385. Old, different shaped coral beads from north Africa
- 46 grams/23 inches long. $245.US. (sold)
AF386. Aluminum beads are made from old melted down pots and
pans. Nothing gets wasted. They average about 24 inches in
length... $36.US/each strand. (#2 & #4 are available)
AF387.
These brass pieces are worn as nose rings or hair pendants in
Nigeria by the Kanuri and the Fulani women in Mali. The work on
these two pieces is exceptionally detailed. The smaller piece #1
is quite worn on one said and smoothed in the central part. It
reminds me of a curled up caterpillar. The piece is 1 inch across
at its longest. $45.US. The larger piece #2 is deeply
carved in a spiral pattern. The bronze is a rich dark colour.
It is exceptional. $115.US. (#2 is sold)
AF388. These ancient carnelian beads are mixed with odd
bits and pieces, sometimes quite special little glass beads. The
strands average 35-36 inches long. $105.US. (#1 is available)
AF389. Here are more ancient carnelian beads. One
must look closely to see what unusual beads are hidden here and there.
The strands average 35-36 inches long. $105.US. (#2 is available)
AF390. This is a Tuareg pendant similar to the one shown
on page 55 of "a World of Necklaces". The pendant section is 4
inches tall and 3 3/4 inches wide. It is made of silver and
hammered into a pyramid type of shape. In the description in the
book the author says "Tcherot
are worn by the men. The various metals are believed to protect
them from the many evil spirits prowling in the desert." It is
fine strands of leather that are traditionally woven into suspension
strands and bound into tassles. The leather reaches 14 1/2 inches
(29 inches total) to behind the neck. $345.US.
AF393.
I believe that this is a Zulu or Swazi piece, but I am just
guessing. It is very tightly woven of beads in a rectangle 10 1/4
inches by 6 inches. There are triangles added onto the sides.
There are a very few missing beads here which could be added, but
they don't spoil the beauty of this piece. At each corner is a
cord with bow shaped bead designs knotted onto it. I wonder if
this was worn at the neck or simply used as a decoration on a wall or
table. All I truly know is that I like it. $85.US
AF394. This is quite a weighty thing - a stone mortar and
pestle from Africa. I don't know what country it was brought from
but these are used in many countries and have been for thousands of
years. The mortar is 4 3/4 inches long and 1 1/2 inches wide.
You can grind grains, spices, leaves, etc. against the stone with
a suitable indentation. The stone is 3 inches by 3 1/2 inches
across, and 1 3/4 inches tall at its tallest. $185.US for the set. 
AF421. These excavated beads from North Africa are
beautiful colours that you simply don't see in new beads. The
colourings for glass beads were different then and can't quite be
reproduced. As well their techniques for making beads were
painstaking and took quite a lot of time. I like the ability to
see the pull lines on the glass of the beads, delicate lines running
down the sides of them. The green ones have a hint of the ocean
in them, and the reddish ones are a good brick colour. Some
strands have a few odd beads included. The strands average 24
inches in length and are $110.US/each strand. (#2 is available)
AF422. This is a good long strand of antique coral from
North Africa, robust in colour and nicely shaped. The strand is
36 inches long with beads averaging 7/16 inch in diameter. 187.1
grams - $1200.US. (sold)
AF423. Here are two strands of old black coral beads
studded with silver. The silver gleams against the black.
Strand #1 has two glass beads pretending to be coral. The
strand is 30 inches long plus pendant - $160.US. Strand #2
has 4 genuine coral beads - the other coloured beads are glass.
The strand is 36 inches long plus pendant - $225.US. (#1 is sold)
AF424. Here are two strand of old black coral beads
studded with silver. Strand #1 includes two yellow glass beads.
The strand is 18 inches long plus pendant - $160.US.
Strand #2 has 2 coral beads included and 3 glass beads acting as a
pendant. It is a little over 22 inches long - $140.US.
AF425. Here is a beautiful strand of black coral beads
inlaid with silver. These are old and worn - not new at
all except for the shaped bead next to where the strand is tied
together - that is a white plastic bead that has been painted black.
All of the other beads are authentic. The strand is 23
inches long. $310.US. (sold)
AF426. This is a very good sized strand of granite beads.
They are amazing as a full necklace but could be used
individually as well. The bead in the middle is 1 3/4 inches long
and slightly under 1 1/4 inches in diameter. The black &
white bead to one side is 2 3/4 inches long and the more grey bead on
the other side is 3 1/8 inches long. These are heavy and
remarkable - I can hardly imagine the work that it took to create them.
The strand is just under 30 inches long. $220.US. (sold)
AF427. These are attractive medium sized granite beads.
The strands average 26 inches long. $150.US/each strand. (both sold)
AF428. This is one of the nicest strands of aluminum
beads that I have seen. Old pots have been melted down to create
the material for making the beads. There is a nice variety of
shapes adding up to a 38 inch long necklace. The central bead is
just under 1 inch in diameter. I think it is great worn exactly
as it is... $185.US. (sold)
AF429. These strands of small granites average 28 inches
in length. There is a variety of sizes and styles in the group.
They are $60.US/each strand. (sold)
AF430. There are two strands of rounded carnelian beads
here. They have a soft finish, are ancient, and would have been
traded in long ago. Strand #1 is over 30 inches long - $110.US.
Strand #2 is 28 inches long - $105.US. (both are sold)
AF431. These are very attractive richly coloured ancient
carnelian beads. Strand #1 is the darkest measuring 28 inches
long. Strand #2 is 28 inches long. Strand #3 is 27 inches
long. Strand #4 is the only strand of tubular beads at 26 inches
long. Each strand is $95.US. (#2, #3 & #4 are sold)
AF432. These transluscent quartz strands average 26
inches long. They are attractive ancient beads traded into Africa
long ago. Strand #1 is $85.US. Strand #2 is $120.US.
Strand #3 is $85.US. Strand #4 is $85.US. (#2 is sold)
AF433. I always like the look of these straightforward
tubular opaque quartz beads. They mix well with others. The
beads average 24 inches in length and are $55.US/each strand. (#2 & #3 are sold)
AF434. These ancient crystal strands average 25 inches in length. $110.US/each strand. (all are sold)
AF435. I find these quartz beads to be very attractive.
Something about their size, the way the light hits them, their
craggy surfaces... I broke one strand in half to make them more
affordable as each strand is enough for a necklace as long as there are
some spacer beads involved. Strand #1 is 15 inches long and the
largest bead is 1 1/4 inches long. $85.US. Strand #2 is
16 inches long and the largest bead is 1 3/8 inches long. $85.US. 
AF436. There are 28 inches of crystal beads on this
strand with the rough central bead measuring over 1 1/2 inches in
diameter. It has quite a variety of beads included in the strand
including one facet glass and a few carnelian. $135.US. (sold)
AF437. These brass pendant pieces are $34.US each.
They were originally sewn onto fabric but would look great hung
from necklaces with beads or pendants hanging from them. The
largest one is just under 2 inches in diameter. (# 2, #3 & #5 are sold)
AF438. This is a strand of ancient carnelian beads
brought out of Djenne. They were probably never really smooth but
have become increasingly pitted over the years. It is a nicely
textured 26 inch strand of beads with the central bead about 7/8 inch
in diameter. $185.US.
AF439. Here is a fairly delicately sized strand of
ancient carnelian beads brought out of Djenne. There are 20
inches of beads on the strand with the largest one being around 1/2
inch in diameter. $60.US. (sold)
AF440. This is a nice and heavy strand of granite beads
in a variety of shapes. There are 26 inches of beads here with
the ones at the front averaging a diameter of 7/8 inch across.
There is a subtle difference in colours here as well.
$160.US.
AF441. These three silver pendants from Ethiopia look
very nice together and would be a great feature on a necklace.
The two smaller ones (1 5/16 inch tall) would work as earrings as
well. The central one is 1 5/8 inches tall. $65.US for the
group. (sold)
AF310. These old incised bone pendants from Ethiopia were common
20 years ago, but rare now. They used to be found decorating strands
of spotted Venetian beads mixed with others. Age has given these
great colours, and a rich look. These are patterned on both sides.
#1, #2, and #3 (3 1/2 to 3 3/4 inches long) are $45.US each. #4 (4
3/4 inches long) is $65.US. #5 (3 3.4 inches long) is $45.US.
#6 (newish - 3 inches long) is $25.US, and #6 (old) is $25.US. (all are sold)
AF314. Here are some old kitabs. Some could use a little
cleaning - I am selling them just as they were when I bought them.
#1 is old silver 1 1/2 inches tall plus hanging loop - $75.US. #2
is silver on brass 3 inches tall - $120.US. #3 is debased silver
and 1 3/4 inches tall plus hanging loop - $65.US. #4 is old
silver almost 1 1/2 inches tall - $75.US. (#3 is available)
AF262. There are two strands of ancient amazonite pictures
here - both dark and creamy in colour and smoothed out nicely from being
worn for thousands of years. They have amazing holes worn wide from
the movement of the stringing cords. Strand #1 is the heavier of
the two. It has 36+ inches of beads and a central pendant that is
1 1/8 inches long. The other side of it is prettier and lighter coloured
that the scanned side. There is a very nice variety of shades here.
$450.US. Strand #2 is more delicate. It is also rich and deep
in colour and has some crazy little pendants hanging off to the sides.
There are 36 inches of beads with the fattest round one being just under
1/2 inch across. $390.US. I do love these beads. (both sold)
AF266. There are two strands of ancient agates here brought
out of Africa. My bead dealer is from Ghana but these were found
further north. They are quite remarkable. I would assume that
many of the beads originated in India, and are mixed with odd beads carved
in Africa itself. Strand #1 is over 40 inches long and has some fat
stone beads contrasting with the delicate ones. There is a blocky
pendant too. There are also shell hoops hung upon it. It is
a great and eclectic mix that I find very inspiring. $345.US. (#1
is sold) Strand #2 is 44 inches long and generally
filled with small and delicate beads. There are lots of perfect oval
ones in a nice range of colours. There is also a central pendant
of a deep brown oval stone over 1 inch long. Very nice. $300.US.
(#2
is available)
AF245. Here are more wonderful beads. Amazonite is a
wonderful material that exists in a number of shades of green. The
range of colours includes pale, delicate, almost white beads touched gently
by colour and travel to bright blues, greenish blues, and dark rich greens.
These strands are of my favourite colours, and the beads are lovely and
delicate and beautifully shaped. They often have large stringing
holes and sometimes you can see them distended by long, slow wear.
These are ancient beads, considered important in their North African home,
and highly prized. They contain magical and life protecting properties.
The beads are graduated nicely and sit well just as strung. Strand
#1 is 28 inches long with a central bead measuring 2 by 3/8 inch.
The beads are all amazonite strung nicely with spacers. (#1 is sold)
Strand #2 is also 28 inches long with a central bead 1 3/4 inches by 7/16
inch. It includes 4 ancient glass beads. $620/each strand.
(both are sold)
AF167. This kohl applicator
compares very favourably with the ones illustrated on page 347 of "Splendeurs
de Maroc", a book which is filled with the best examples of North African
jewellery. Found in Southern Morocco, the Tuareg influence is very
visible. This would make an interesting and attractive pendant on
a necklace or would be beautiful hanging from a simple ribbon or chain.
This bronze piece measures 3 inches long, with almost half being decorated.
Beautifully detailed and worn, it is a special piece. Early 20th
century. (one stud missing) - $60.US.
to place an order please click here.
return
to "Contents" page
.....Ancient beads
.....Eastern beads and ornaments
.....Southeast Asia
.....India
.....African trade beads
.....North Africa
.....the Americas including preColumbian
.....Europe
.....Modern copies of ancient objects
.....Odds and ends
.....a small selection of necklaces
.........Mexico
- traditional rebozos and market shopping