Found a rare strand with glass snails (Trade Beads of the Old West, Howard Johnson show), and a strand with very rare & unusual green beads with a design that imitates Bodom designs (Alhaji Kaira, Gem Mall)- or were the Bodoms imitating the Venetians ?

Trade Beads of the Old West is the store of one Leo Hakola, who said he's been absent from Tucson for 12 years. His room at HoJo's was chock full of trade bead strands - lots of rare and interesting beads that I have not seen for sale at the African trader's tables. If you are still at Tucson, or not yet arrived - check this one out!

only have been able to get some solo's over the last years.. Wonderful finds again :)

Tucson is a wonderful venue for finding all sorts of findings and beads to work with collectibles in designing necklaces & bracelets. Some of the beads I picked up on this trip were antique Ethiopian silver (Wind River at the Pueblo show) and black wood bi-cones (Lou Zeldis at Gem Mall).

Bali silver ( Yone's Beads, Ethnography Room, and a table outside A Bead Carnival) and a strand of bronze disks, reportedly made from bronze waster found in the Gandhara region (Bead Castle, Pueblo Show).

My big "find" of the trip was a strand of Mauritanian carved phenolic resin beads (Wind River, Pueblo show). These beads are a recent interest of mine outside of my core collection of Venetian trade beads.

Another type of bead piquing my interest is the ancient spindle whorl - these are made of steatite and found in the Gandhara region (Indus Valley, Grand Luxe on Grant).

I saw this strand too....wonderful beads indeed! did you buy it Rosanna? I looked but the price was a bit too high for my trip's budget this year! Another wonderful year at the Tucson show!

I thought that maybe it was my last chance to get anything remotely like this, so I got it!

These were found at Joe Loux's booth at Gem Mall and looked interesting for necklace design.

Guess what they were made for originally!

But only because I asked Joe :) They are beautiful!

I like your choices so much. Almost would have wanted the same things. The green Venetians (Bodom design) are very intriguing, and I love the lime green tabs. Of course the Ethiopian silver are great to grab when you find, as they work with so many designs, & they're just such lovely old silver beads. But your Mauretanian carved beads....ah, those were my faves. I would have been tugging them away from you for sure! Glad you had such a great trip & found such fab beads to bring home. Lynne

Agreeing with Lynne on the Carved simulated ambers, they are just stunning. And I think I also share your taste in beads :)

Beautiful finds Rosanna! Thanks for sharing!

I canīt say it better than Lynne or Heleen...: great taste, beautiful beads! Thanks for sharing, Rosanna!!