7 of the 12 bids were serious figures. Seems legitimate. I agree with you, why would this be so desirable? Seller is in the USA.
"Chinese aloeswood/chenxiang wood rosary bracelet, cleans out a local antique dealer/estate jeweler's storage bins and drawers. The rosary is formed with fourteen aloeswood beads, two amber beads and two cloisonne beads, one end with a large wood bead (which I don't know what it is) and amethyst double gourd form bead."
Perhaps this is the reason? "First-grade agarwood is one of the most expensive natural raw materials in the world":
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agarwood
Is it real? Is it fake? Seven different bidders seem to believe.
I'm glad no wild animals were killed to obtain this wood.
Agarwood is so precious it will ultimately disappear completely as the species is eradicated by the people who hunt for it in wild forests... Ironic.
I'm glad to learn about it. I had no idea, just encountered the word in Beadiste's link and looked it up. If I see some in a thrift store I will look more closely. I think wood beads are overlooked, it could happen.
Another side of me cringes at using materials which sacrificed the life of living creatures. I feel less strongly about plant products, most of them are renewable resources. But when I read how uncommon it is and how destructive the agarwood hunters, I feel guilty about coveting it in any way.
It's all about the perfume, the essential oil that has been created by the tree in response to an invasive fungus. The oil is extracted and used in expensive perfumes. The wooden beads are naturally perfumed by the oil, hence the desirability.
So, maybe the reason no one else is saying anything is because this was already discussed? Or because we were all unaware that the wooden beads are so coveted? That we still don't believe it and remain skeptical?
This conversation is about another strand of agarwood prayer beads sold for $32,000. I think the point was missed that the wooden beads are the items of most value here, less so the other beads and parts. I can't say if they are genuine, but once again here is evidence of the desirability of this wood among some people.
http://beadcollector.net/cgi-bin/anyboard.cgi?fvp=/openforum/&cmd=iYz&aK=392177&iZz=392177&gV=0&kQz=&aO=1&iWz=0
