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What a cool looking bead! Is it glass or clay of some sort? If I had to guess, I'd say it was a lamp worked glass bead, but that's just a guess.

Thank you for you insight...here is some complementary informations:

Glass bead, quite large, size is 32mm X 25 mm and another larger one (exact same color) ...

Conical asymmetric "perforation" dia. 0.8cm and 0.4 cm on the other side.

And came together with 20th (19th?) Century warring states beads copies.

With signs of burial (could also be chemical treatment?)

Not so common since I have seen only two specimens in 17 years collecting Chinese beads.

Collected in northern China, manchouria

Here is the Yuan "wave" beads I am referring to...quite different in fact... I have seen japanese beads with waves dating from 17th to 19th but nothing like this one.

I suspected it could be 20th century Manchukuo (japanese puppet state in China manchouria) production...

Any clue ?

Color is much better after Smooth cleaning (soap and water)...

Pipane,

Your beads have been separated from a 19th century Japanese netsuke. They were used together to form a gourd like shape.

And they were held together with a pin and separated by a ring with swivel bale for suspension over the obi -as a counterweight for an inro or tobacco pouch.

Just Fred

Thank you again, it does make sense.

P.

Fred - you don't happen to have any pictures of a complete set, do you? I love it!

Abe

I do have similar examples. I will look for them, make and post images when convenient.