Stefany, do you think this is an unlikely original pairing of the two types of beads? Got them this way about 20 yrs. ago, not to say they weren't restrung in the past 80 years!
These Czech moulded shapes with "exotic" themes (the creamy white ones) from the '20s were made into hundreds of designs nearly always quite long closed loop necklaces the fancy ones interspersed with smaller regular ones in a contrasting colour, and knotted between each bead which gave additional length. Those necklaces finished with a more elaborate moulded pendant at the front, or at least a tassell. My guess is that somebody removed the pendant and then used the remaining feature beads with the reddish amber-like ones to make a necklace strand that should be casually looped or knotted around the neck in the style that began to be popular in the '90s.
However beads threaded close together without knots, however strong the thread, they dont drape well if you want to loop the ends together.
so maybe this necklace wasnt worn much??
Hi Stefany,
I would suggest that this necklace could have been restrung as early as the 1970s. In my memory, that is when this style of necklace began to become popular.
When someone says "original stringing," sometimes they just mean they haven't changed it since they received it. It is not necessarily an historical statement.
I'm still curious to know what the red beads are (?).
Jamey
That's when Wen seems to have acquired it. This style didnt ever grab the fashion jewellery world that much over here.
the red beads could be any age...
Hello WenP,
The filler beads appear to be saturated translucent red (not the brown color I identify as "root beer"). Noting their identical sizes and shapes, I would guess these—like the molded white beads—are plain molded, probably Czech, glass beads. Of course, if they are not glass, they might be imitation "cherry amber." Have you tried rubbing them to see if they produce the smell of carbolic acid—indicating a phenolic resin?
Jamey
Hi Barbara,
The vast majority of garnet beads are small, because garnets large enough to make beads of this size are unusual. The color of garnets is a more purple-red. Plus, beads made from garnets typically have a high-gloss slightly metallic sheen on their surfaces. Larger garnet beads are more often dark-colored (nearly "black-looking"), and may have inclusions that are not attractive. A strand of them would not present a uniform appearance.
The consistent color, uniformity of shape and size, all suggest molded glass.
However, the Chinese did make strands of spheroidal and oblate (and less-common oval/ellipsoidal) beads from red phenolic plastics in the 1930s. These are routinely sold as 'derived from Mandarin Court necklaces,' though such an origin is very unlikely (if not impossible). I think there were similar-looking red glass beads, that might have been thought of as imitations of "cherry amber, found in Mandarin Court necklaces. Thus the confusion, or false belief.
Some strands of red phenolic plastic beads are consistent (appear uniform in size and shape), while others are somewhat more variable, and look hand-made.
It should be easy to determine if the beads in-question are molded glass or phenolic plastic (or something else).
Jamey
