I just looked back at the picture, and can confirm that every ten beads it repeats the sequence. so perhaps if there are now 98 beads then 2 have broken right off at some time.
We discussed them on Beads-L in the past, perhaps that's where you posted yours before, Paula? It may be hard to choose the right search term though!
I will accept they may be chinese only if Fred says so.
Another point is that they might have been more common in UK because oriental-looking nick-nacks were imported and sold in London department stores such as "Liberty" around the 1900's.
Stefany