We also saw this sort of brown/black banded agate in Bangkok a few weeks ago. Very nice beads. We nearly bought one strand that Dee really liked for about USD90. I think we got down to Baht 3500 for the strand before Dee decided she really didn't need it to wear.

I think 200 Euros is not an unreasonable retail price for the goods. We were buying quite a few other things. By comparison to opening prices at other dealers we were being offered quite low wholesale prices at this particular dealer.

There are 6 or more Afghani dealers on Charoen Krung In Bangkok that have intersting new and old beads. At least one works with one of the traders out of Africa and carries old and new goods from the Afican trade.

On another note, A nearby shop featured every imaginable sort of simulated turquoise, shell and stone "block" material made in the US and sold to the silver manufacturers in Thailand for inlay work. I'll post some pictures when I get them organized.

--Russ (www.rings-things.com - Spokane, WA - USA)