I do enjoy finding beads in their original context and pushing dates back, because there are so many beads out there which MUST have come from the 1600's, 1700's etc which are other than chevrons and seed beads, but it's a task finding the evidence and pinning it down.

These combed/feathered beads are not the classic blue or pink on white type - and on the urn there are different colour variations as well, many with extra lines encircling the bead at each end, but these are earlier versions of the classics we know, and I believe some of those classics are also early, but in their "African trade bead' context they are not particularly dateable.

We have dateable sample cards, of course, but I've not come across any earlier than about 1815.

Cheers
Carole