When Chinese cloisonné beads were first being popularized again in America and elsewhere during the early 1970's, the level of detail and quality of motif in Chinese craftsmanship was superior to work which was being done in China in the 30's and 40's. But after only one year, it deteriorated; the highest price the 1970's market would bear would not support the initial variety and detail in the new Chinese cloisonné beads. -Quality control is often a problem in China.

I handled these beads in the early seventies; I began as a bead dealer with cloisonné beads while I was going to California College of the Arts. And the yellow background color and size of the aperture in these beads makes it obvious to me that these beads are a product of the seventies and not from an earlier period.

~Usually, it is the color of the enamel and size of the hole which is the best indication of age -not level of detail in decoration.

Just Fred