My Friend Emma Maria Kuster (a German amber seller) used to buy American Indian beads to take back to Germany—and she was somewhat involved in the German hobbyist movement that is related to the Rendezvous movement here. So I have seen photographs of a German event.

Anyway, welcome to the Forum. We will look forward to seeing your beads.

Jamey

Hello Sonke,

One of the interesting things about the American Fur trade era is the number of interesting people from all walks of life and parts of the world that were brought together both then and now.

I had been buying beads, but not collecting them until I too became enamored with the Fur Trade era and the Rendezvous.

Here I am at the Eastern primitive Rendezvous in the early 1990's (second from the right), and again at the Alafia River rendezvous in 1998.

Welcome to the forum,

Jan Skipper
mosquitobay

Greetings Sönke, Glad to have a fellow reenactor aboard! I got my bead start almost 20 years ago doing similar events, primarily Revolutionary War, and French & Indian time periods. I just returned from a two week rendezvous here in Florida. I collected a few nice beads, some weavings, a new bronze cannon, and many fond memories!
Your Baker lean-to photo brought back many memories (some scary)of my earlier canvas adventures!
I'll get my new beads picured on the site soon. Hope to see more of yours as well!
Best, jeff

....thank you for the welcome!!

Now you have seen some photos of my fur trade side, i think it´s time to start the bead-showing-time. First i´ll show you some of my favourite beads, the good old wound "european" beads (often call dutch dogons). I know that most of these beads are not dutch beads, i guess some of these are beads from china (?). What do you thing about the red ones (i heaven´t seen them very often) and what about the discs?
..a few more photos coming soon.

Notice the fur trader with his canoe full of chevron!!

what do you thing about the black beads?

Thank you an have a good time

Sönke

...I am very glad, you finally arrived here. It´s a good moment to say a very big THANK YOU in public, deep from my heart, because you are the man, who brought me to the beads many years ago, enriching my life in such a beautiful way...I am looking forward to see more of your beads here, even I have had most of them in my hands...and looking forward too for more hours sitting together with our beads, showing, dicsussing, and enjoying the beauties...Welcome here and everywhere!!
Uwe

Welcome to the board! I am in Northern Utah in Cache Valley, you may have read about our location under a different name, Willow Valley. Our region including Bear Lake and Blacksmith Fork Canyon and the neighboring area over the border in Wyoming are historical sites of the original North American fur trade / Mountain Man rendezvous from 1820's through 1840's.

My husband and I collect beads from all eras though and not specifically fur trade, I have lived in Europe and he travels there extensively, so although we attend the rendezvous as spectators, we are not re-enactors but we enjoy the culture and as bead collectors we appreciate the role that beads did play in the fur trade/mountain man era.

Again, welcome,

Joy B.

Hi Joy,

yes i have read about the rendezvous in Cache Valley!!
I think if i would life i a historicle palce like you, i´ll take my spade and shovel and look for some forgotten Caches (may be full of beads).

Sönke

It is a pleasure to have a friend of Uwe with us. He is a kind and good man. Thank you for joining us.

Welcome aboard!!!

I'm a Brit living most of the year in the Philippines, not in the same scholarly or collecting league as most here, but learning.

Amazingly there seems to be a bead-link between Manila and the fur trade:

<>

Hi Barbara,

Is your comment intended to be humorous? This article has been blasted in the past for its many inaccuracies. I and others have contacted the writer—who doesn't seem to believe there are any problems with the piece....

It is well known that a trade link existed between the "New World" and the Philippines, via trade conducted by the Spanish. This was not discovered by Peter Francis (but rather was just written of by him). This was an early connection that occurred before the Fur Trade had developed into a significant industry. So, I would have to disagree. Manila was not really connected to the Fur Trade—though through early contacts, the Spanish connected Méxicans with Philippinos.

Be well. Jamey

July 9, 2023

The previous link does not go to the Net article discussed. However the site still exists, and the article is still there. Whether it has been revised seems unlikely, since it has A LOT of mistaken "information."

This is unfortunate, since, in many regards the historical information presented appears to be well-researched easy reading.

This just demonstrates that bead research is not easy, and should be in the hands of bead researchers.

JDA.

This post has really intrigued me....the communities I grew up in were founded on the fur trade and hold very interesting re-enactments--very authentic. As a child I found many artifacts washed up on the beaches. It never dawned on me that interest in this fascinating part of history would be alive in Europe--this despite the fact that the fur trade was fuelled by overseas demand.

Hello beadfriend, a warm welcome to the forum!
Here is a cute rounded oldie possibly used during the fur trade era you may enjoy.
Charles

Damn, you gatta love those European reenactors! They do things even more accurately than most Americans. Welcome. Stephen Parfitt in Springfield, Illinois.