| Original Message: How the beads were made, from the sewing basket beads book |
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"An informant of Chu and Chu, himself, recalled that his aunts were engaged in this activity [winding glass beads] in Canton: They first dipped thin bamboo rods into water in which clay was suspended and after withdrawing them, set them aside to dry. The coatig would aid in the removal of the bead after it had been wound around the rod, incidentally leaving a perforation deposit of clay. To make the beads two people held the bamboo and twirled it as a third allowed molten glass to trail at a spot on the stick to build up a bead. After the stick was filled with beads, it was laid on a bed of dried clay to cool. Once cooled, the beads were shaken off into a tub of water, which helped to clean them. After the beads had been strung on hemp cords, 100 to a string, they were taken to a contractor, who paid for them and gave the bead makers aothe batch of glass with which to work. " Chu, Arthur and Grace, Oriental Antiques and Collectibles, Crown Publishers, New York, 1973 All rights reserved by Bead Collector Network and its users |
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