A guess, hoping others can shed light.
Well Joyce, they look newish, I have to admit.
What's the story again about Chinese bead making? Bead factories stopped production during much of the 'Cultural Revolution'? Then some bead production of older styles began again at some point?
Were the beads in my photo for trading outside the country, or were they for use inside China?
I know, I know.... so many questions.
One thing I can say... the millefiori slices were made from 'rolled' cane, creating the spiral effect. This is how I recognize them. This technique also appears sometimes in Japanese beads.
I remembered the word Boshan, referring to these beads. BCN search does not seem to work. I did a Google search of BCN and found several posts. I understand if Frederick does not want to discuss these any more.
There was a green bead very much like mine on a collector's strand. This bead was not pointed out as 'new', so I still have hope mine might be the older type of Boshan trailed millefiori.
My beads have well centered distinct starbursts and two color trailings that seem 'confident'.
The perforations are clean with no sign of release residue.
The condition is 'like new', however.... New old stock? or just new?
who says no more than 20 years at most for these nice looking green examples.
