Mauritanian "Amber" Diamond-shaped beads (double drilled).

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Mauritanian "Amber" Diamond-shaped beads (double drilled).

Posted by Frankie Carter on June 11, 2013 at 3:20pm

I have heard that this type of "amber", created from German beads imported in the 1930s, was created from natural sources. Has anyone any information about this?Thanks to Anna of dorjedesigns.

Comments

Eva Baby June 11, 2013 at 4:34pm

Wonderful beads, love them! Sorry, I have no info about them.
Frankie Carter June 11, 2013 at 5:04pm

Thanks Akkie and Eva. I`m hoping to design a necklace using them some day.
SARAH CORBETT June 11, 2013 at 5:22pm

wow those are beauties
SARAH CORBETT June 11, 2013 at 5:26pm

these look like german 1930s bakelite beads which are shaped and cross drilled for use in the hair and also beaded strands by Mauritanian ladies.

will find a pic for you!

S x

http://pinterest.com/pin/147704062751485944/
Alaa eddine SAGID June 11, 2013 at 6:25pm

widely used among the moors of western sahara and mauritania.

Strung in anecklace (using two beads at atime along other smaller beads), i should find a picture of these necklaces

But also braided in the hair

I guess this is what is called Phenolic amber

I love these beads a lot
Frankie Carter June 11, 2013 at 6:57pm

I love them too, Ayis, and have wanted some since the beginning of my interest in ethnic jewellery.

Marie-Francoise Delaroziere (Les perles de Mauritanie) shows her own painted sketches of them incorporated into traditionally styled necklaces - two on each side with smaller trade beads between, one near the central pendant bead of triangular carnelian, one towards the ends.

I would have thought of them as bakelite or phenolic resin too. But I know I have seen reference to the German beads as being of organic origin. Could be that it was wrong. Or maybe just some were.

Great photo, Sarah. Big thanks!
SARAH CORBETT June 11, 2013 at 7:37pm

There are many faux amber ingredients including milk, Cous Cous, horn, bone,tree resin , copal.
However I believe the ones you show are made from thermosetting plastics closely related chemically to Bakelite..as Ayis correctly states phenolics.
S x
Eileen Massard June 11, 2013 at 7:59pm

I have quite a few of these beads and was told that they were copal ........ A natural form of resin.
I was also told that you could tell plastic from natural resin by taking a needle near the hole and chipping away a small chunk. If it's natural, it will chip off easily. I have tried this with amber beads and it works. Now I will try it out on these beads.
Eileen
SARAH CORBETT June 11, 2013 at 8:08pm

Hi Eileen, there are many other tests which do not cause damage to the beads....
Electrostatic tests.
Hot needle inside perforation
Salt water
Fluorescence.
I shall link to a good site. S x
SARAH CORBETT June 11, 2013 at 8:12pm

http://www.ebay.com/gds/Testing-Amber-and-Spotting-Fakes-test-fake-...

Photos

Mauritanian "Amber" Diamond-shaped beads (double drilled).

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