No, not disappointed at all. As I said, it was going very cheap and I bought it mainly to look at and find out about the lacquer beads. I put "court necklace" in quotes, because, as I said, I knew it obviously didn't follow the imperial Manchu regulations, which Chinese families were in any case reluctant to adhere to. But at the levels of the lower provincial nobility and administrative classes much wider ranges of materials from jade, pearls, turquoise and lapis to glass, amber, wood, ivory and ambergris were permissible.

But the fact that some of the beads are Japanese puts paid to that theory, doesn't it?! If you have time, Jamey, it would be helpful to know which ones they are. Also, your thoughts on the "coral", and what you know of the lacquer. Oh, yes, and the crumb beads also. I'm always surprised at how hard it is to find published information about these later Chinese beads.

Thank you both for your help,

Will