Trade bead bracelet selling with Afghan silver and lapis bead, antique African jasper and rare Krobo bead

This bracelet features a few rare treasures!

The focal bead is an uncommon bead from Afghanistan: an old silver bead with a blue enamel band. The silver oxidized most lovely, see pictures.

I paired it with a gem from Africa: an antique jasper bead, a so called 'Lantana' bead from Nigeria. It originates from the late 1800's and was a high status object, bought by chiefs and wealthy men.
Already in the 1700's, Hausa traders sold these beads in Benin. When the import of coral declined, they were used in the regalia of Yoruba kings.
They were manufactured in Ilorin. It took a lot of skill, strength and patience to produce these beads. The stone was chipped into shape, pierced with a drill from scrap steel,(this took a lot of time) and then worked vigorously on a grinding stone - which required a lot of strength. Lastly the bead was polished.
The result was a very shiny very red bead. It is not hard to imagine that they were highly desired objects - and were part of the gifts that kings exchanged. Their color is unparalleled: so rich, so deep, so saturated.
The bead in this bracelet was made end 1800's. It acquired patina over time, and it is absolutely stunning.

The bead next to it is a gem from Africa too: an old Krobo bead. A layered bead, made with powder glass: layer after layer of finely crushed glass (of jars, bottles, sometimes beads) was put in a clay mold, a straw in the center to make the bead hole. Each and every bead is a work of art. See pictures. A rare find.

I adorned this bead with a ringlet of tiny African bauxite beads, worn for their joyful energy. Great earthy chunks.

Further you will find an old silver amulet from Ethiopia, probably containing a tiny scroll with a sacred text, light weight vintage hollow silver beads from the Tuareg, untreated facetted lapis beads from Afghanistan, a selling Tuareg ebony bead with metal inlay and an antique German trade bead from the 1800's. Some Yemeni and Ethiopian silver too.

Great statement bracelet with rare beads!

SIZE: it measures approx. 6.1 to 6.5 inches (15.5 to 16.5 cm). It closes with a hand made silver clasp. If you need more length, I can add more silver rings at a small extra cost. See pictures for dimensions.

It ships with track and trace.

I ship within one business day. To the USA, Canada, Australia and Asia it usually takes two weeks for my packages to arrive. Within Europe, delivery takes a few days up to a week. Handling at the customs may cause a delay.
I do combine shipping.

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