If you were to put a HOT needle, or as I do it (don't try this at home) run a lighter over the bead and you get a smell which is chemical like, almost like burning insulation, these are man made, phenolic resin beads.
With that said, I have collected these types of "amber" beads for 30 years and still enjoy them.
Carl
I am glad you answered since you listed em(lol)!! My guess is they are newer and they are still using phenol-based compounds in beads?? Are they? sm
I don't think so, Steve. I think these are older beads . This is where we need Jamey's input before I go any further BUT I don't think they still make these beads the same way or even out of the same compounds any longer.
Not mold-made, of course. They were machine-cut from longer rods, at least those I talked about previously. Those of German 1920-1930´s production.
Let´s ask Doctor Morris - she knows!
JAMES
The spots are nothing but "heat applied" and tell nothing about age.
You guess they are newer? Based on what, is your guess? A guess alone is not enough. Please tell, why you think they are newer? Newer than what? The majority of such non-amber beads are of German and French production, between 1920 - 1930.
the-real-thing
Bond!
I'm not an authority, but here are three sample card images I have stored from past posts on this subject. Phenolic plastic synthetic resins... manufactured imitation amber. Jamey has a wealth of information regarding the topic, but I also found the attached article online, for what it's worth.
Joy B.
I agree: no surprise indeed!
BOND
Hi Steve,
You have accidently set up a false dichomomy—because plenolic plastic IS "resin." It happens to be artificial resin, but still is resinous.
So, the issue is not on telling "plastic from resin." The object should be to identify the material, whether it be natural or artificial resin, recent, semi-fossil, or fossil resin; and wheher it is justified, or not to charactrerize the material as "amber."
Your beads appear to be phenolic plastic beads, post-dating 1926. Perhaps some ten years ago, new phenolic plastic beads (imitating amber) were still being made—and those from West Africa were sold as "old amber." Since that time, most of the new amber-like beads I've seen tend to be from thermolabile plastics (soft easily-melted materials), and may or may not be made from preformed constructions (such as canes)—since some appear to be injection-molded, or the like. China now makes a LOT of plastic imitations; and I see beads that appear to be new versions of "African" beads (the beads we came to associate with West Africa in the ealry 1970s, though originally from Germany and/or Central Europe)—but these new beads are from (out of) India.
The Amber Forum I moderate is very useful for sorting out amber issues.
Jamey
