Resources

Many people ask for information about the artifacts and beads we sell: this section is the beginning of a resources section aimed at meeting that demand I will be adding information as I can and as time permits.

The recommended reading list is a great source for books rich in information specific to this web site.
Antique beads; covers some interesting territory about buying antique beads and has specific info on Millefiore beads.

The maps are just for you to refer to if your not quite sure where Timbuktu is, or on which continent Kathmandu is!

MAP OF AFRICA

SOUTH EAST ASIA MAP

Antique Map of Africa 1631

BEDU MASK
Burkina,   Guinea. West Africa

The Bedu (moon dance) mask is carved from wood and painted in indigenous geometric designs. The masks can be large measuring up to 2.4 meters in height or if round as wide as 1.2 meters. During the dance ceremony the dancer is cloaked in a raffia costume made from the bark of a local tree. During the month of bedu 12 pairs of masks appear every night, accompanied by mass singing and dancing.   The purpose of the masks, which embody the beneficent forces of the 12 moons of the Nefana (Luna Calender) was to purify the community   and to remedy wrongs.   Often also called harvest masks the Bedu mask is linked with fertility and the harsh struggle to survive in Sahalian Africa.

Baule Mask

These notes are drawn from several good references (indicated) and my own observations and research in West Africa.

I have made special mention of the Baule tribe because their material art, masks, figures, doors and utilitarian items represent an excellent cross section of West African style.   The Baule have an extraordinary diversity when it comes to carving masks and figures in wood.   They express themselves with form and colour; have elaborate coiffure and sacrificial scaring as a feature.   They carve small delicate pieces and large plank masks.   ‘With their great sense of stylization and attention to detail, they have produced some of the most elegant objects of all Africa Art’ Ref.1.

‘The Baule represent one of the most important tribes of the Ivory Coast.   Their name is testimony to their birth – according to legend, Queen Aba Pokou led her people on an exodus towards the gold mining areas during the 18 th century and had to cross a river where she was obliged to sacrifice her son to the river god, thus giving her people the name Bauli, ‘the son is dead’.

During the 19 th century, the Queendom disintegrated due to internal conflicts and by the beginning of the 20 th century, when the French colonialists arrived; they found only a network of villages, headed by councils of venerated men’. Ref.2.

‘The Baule people use three major types of masks; the helmet mask usually in the shape of a buffalo head, the second represents a human face with rounded fairly realistic features; and the third type includes masks related to the Goli festival’. Ref.3.

The masks all originally had specific uses connected with fertility, harvest, and the warding off of evil.   Contemporary usage is now for general protection of villages and festivities. The specifics of each marking and feature are too many and varied to cover here.   For the avid researcher I recommend ‘The Tribal Arts of Africa’ (see our recommended reading list) for a detailed and interesting source of information.

Ref.1.2.3. ‘The Tribal Arts of Africa’ page 48 , Pub,   Thames and Hudson

The mask displayed on this page is a fine example of Baule carving. The mask is carved using a series of curves; eyebrows curve beautifully into the nose, the small elliptical mouth projects slightly almost in anticipation of speech and the central forehead has sacrificial scaring.   This mask is for sale $290.00.

Ethiopian Crosses

For over 1600 years Christian Ethiopians have worn neck crosses as a proud confession of their faith.   Ahamara women of Lalibela wear crosses typical of that region, hanging on blue cotton cord called mateb which is received at baptism.

Lalibela the capital of Ethiopia in the 10 th century was named after king lalibela who was responsible for building the 13 rock-hewn churches for which the town is now famous.1.

Ethiopian crosses are usually named after towns or provinces of the highlands, are either cast by the lost wax method or cut directly from Maria Theresa dollar.   The oldest are of simple Greek or Latin design.   Those with flared arms show the influence of Coptic crosses from upper and Lower Egypt; others, probably under Celtic influence, developed trefoils or decorative projections.   With the ready supply of silver in the nineteenth century, the crosses became more elaborate: complicated openwork designs, or patterns of endless interwoven lines symbolizing eternity became popular.   Additional hinges and crowns show the influence of nineteenth century European medals.   The Star of David is worn by the Falasha, a small group of Jewish settlers living near Gonder.2..

Ref ,1,2. Africa Adorned, Author, Angela Fisher, 1996 Harvill Press London

The picture is of a large Ethiopian ceremonial cross from the Timbuktu collection. 28cm high

Antique Beads

The following is a collection of notes on antique beads, simply a reflection on their diversity and beauty.   S Manning.

” I have never before written to you for something precious I wanted, but if you are truly my father, get me a fine string full of beads…..if you have none at hand, dig it out of the ground wherever such things are found and send it to me…… it should be full of beads and should be beautiful”.

Letter to Uzalum from son Adad-Abum, 1800 BC .1 .(image W2099M)

Nothing has changed since the letter to Uzalum was written nearly 4000 years ago, in fact those beads may well still be in existence and may even be worn by someone!   Antique beads have a special appeal to those of us who see their beauty.

For me it’s the patina, the obvious age, texture and ancient handcraft techniques used in their production.

Buying antique beads

For the inexperienced purchasing antique beads can be perplexing and the unwary can easily be led astray by unscrupulous sellers and dealers.   For some it’s next to impossible to tell the difference between new and old.   One of the criteria we select our senior staff at Timbuktu To Kathmandu on is their ability to distinguish new from old and old from antique. This skill can be learned by some and others have it naturally.   I guess that’s what makes a good collector in the end, one who can spot rare or unusual items with certainty while others simply remain blind to them.

Buying overseas is in my opinion is the most rewarding way to collect beads or artefacts.   By “going deep” as one friend of mine calls it, you experience the environment in which the beads lived or existed.

This adds priceless personal value to the object by creating another dimension.   Beads can be found in many countries around the world, you don’t need to trek through the jungles of Africa.   Europe and our close Asian neighbours have good markets where old and antique beads can still be found at reasonable prices.   Be prepared to pay a premium for beads of high quality with little or no damage.   Some very rare beads Chevron seven layer in blue and green for example fetch prices in the thousands.   Any damage to the bead will reduce the price.   Small chips that are rounded of by wear and age reduce the price a little, while large fresh chips render a bead to as little as 10% or even 5% of its premium value.

Chose your vendor carefully

Accurate knowledge of bead provenance and antiquity is thin in the retail trade.   The quick buck tends to rule with many retailers telling the customer what they want to hear.   There is a general reluctance in retail to admit that something may be a reproduction or a fake.   Chose your dealer or shop carefully, ask around, see if they have a good reputation.   Look at how the shop is presented, does it look like a personal collection collated with empathy and respect or is it strictly a merchandising tool.   I have never had a good deal from a shark!

Fakes and Imitations

Can you tell a fake?   Think about it.   Artisans have spent millennia perfecting the art of imitation.   You need to spend time learning and examining the real and the imitation in an effort to be certain of the difference.   If you can’t tell the difference why pay the extra? Why not be content with the imitation?   In many circumstances a fake may be more suitable or appropriate.   The critical point is you must be able to tell the difference so you can make a choice.

Beware of Imitations currently being produced in china now many people are buying Coral, Turquoise, Jade, and a variety of other semi-precious stones that are dyed Sea Bamboo or Howlite.   Real Coral is expensive, Sea Bamboo is in-expensive.

New beads can be tumbled in oil, rubbed with wax and made to look every bit antique.   These imitations can be beautiful and make great jewellery but may fade or deteriorate with time.

The bottom line is enjoy the experience take your time and seek the advice of knowledgeable people.

Desirable and collectable

Beads have all the characteristics most desirable in collectable objects. They are portable, durable and can be worn, are pleasing aesthetically, widely varied and keep their value. Unlike most artefacts, beads are not subject to rot or attack by insects, which makes them some of the oldest artefacts to be found. Beads have always been a medium of trade, exchange or barter. From earliest times, there has been nomadic peoples who could not accumulate and carry bulky material possessions. Beads they could barter for food, livestock and other items in bad times, but they could be kept for aesthetic and magical reasons in good times.

Since the early times of human development, beads where made of natural materials, stone, bone, teeth, claws, shell, amber and vegetable material. Throughout history, some of these beads have been amongst the most highly prized: pearls, amber and copal resin, carnelian and agate, cowries and conus shell. (Up until 1940 in certain parts of Africa, and the Pacific cowries and cone shell where used as legal tender instead of coins and paper money.) 2.

Millefiore beads

Often referred to as Trade Beads and found throughout Africa.   They are mosaic glass beads made by an ancient technique invented in western Asia during the first millennium B.C, The glass is built up through the use of many small cross sections of multicoloured canes fused together or embedded onto a matrix. The canes may be simple or compound in composition.3. The word Millefiore refers to the pattern which resembles thousands of flowers.

Antique Millefiore beads are becoming harder to find now with the rarer colours and patterns very expensive.   Beware of imitations coming out of China, India, Indonesia.   The genuine Millefiore is easy to tell apart from an imitation by the colour of the glass and the centre is usually black.

Ref .1. A Universal Aesthetic Collectible Beads. Author: Robert K Liu, Pub, Ornament Inc USA. Preface.
Ref.2.”The beads in Africa,an Introduction” published by Totem Meneghelli Galleries SA.
Ref.3. The History Of Beads, Lois Sherr Dubin, Pub Thames and Hudson. Page 112

RECOMMENDED READING LIST

This is a list of books we regularly use and refer to in the course of learning and teaching about beads, jewellery and artifacts. Some we sell others we have collected and could possibly be found in other bookstores or online.

The basics of bead stringing
Author: Debbie Kanan
ISBN: 0-9615353-1-8

Our best selling book! Small 82 page soft cover. Excellent diagrams mostly black and white with some colour pictures.
A complete illustrated approach for beginner and advanced designers. Great for kids and adults. Highly recommended.

We sell this book for $16.50

The History of Beads

Author:Lois Sherr Dubin
ISBN:0-500-23507-4
The definitive guide to bead history and bead identification. 364 pages of detailed colour photos and detailed text. Covers whole world. Highly recommended.
We sell this book for $65.00 – Out of print

Collectible Beads
Author: Robert K. Liu
ISBN: 0-9641023-0-7

A beautifully presented book dealing with collecting antique and contemporary beads.
Colour   256 pages. Highly recommended
We sell this book for $89.00 – Out of Print

Africa Adorned
African life.
Author: Angela Fisher

ISBN: 1-86046-291-X
We sell this book for $120

African Ceremonies
Author: Carol Beckwith and Angela Fisher
ISBN: 0-8109-3484-1
We sell this book

Traditional Jewelry of India

This book is a result of more than thirty-five years of research into every conceivable aspect of the subject, showing the intimate relationship between the jewelry and the lives of the people of India.
Author: Oppi Untracht
ISBN: 0 -500-01780-8
We sell this book for $75

Creative Beading
Author: Juju Vail
ISBN: 0-6006-1174-4
We sell this book for $35

African Art (New Edition)
Author: Frank Willet
ISBN: 0-500-20364-4
We sell this book for $30

The Tribal Arts of Africa
The author has divided sub-Saharan Africa into forty-nine cultural areas. Each section studies the most important tribe in the region, surveying its social and political structures as well as its artistic production. This book is the only publication in any language to present the entire panoply of these wonderful works in an accessible form, and is an invaluable reference guide of immense use and interest to professional collectors and laymen alike. With beautifully photographs.

Author: Jean Baptise Bacquart
ISBN: 0-500-28231-5
Highly recommended.
We sell this book for $60

African Ceremonies (double book)
Author: Beckwith. Fisher
ISBN: 0-8109-4205-4
We sell this book fir $285

Guibourge
ISBN: 2-08013-681-X

African Textiles – Colour and Creativity Across a Continent
Author: John Gillow
ISBN-0-500-51144-6
We sell this book for $120

World Textiles
Author: John Gillow and Bryan Sentence
ISBN: 0-500-01950-9

North American Textiles
Author: Christopher Spring and Julie Hudson
ISBN: 0-7141-2523-7

A World of Bracelets
Author: Anne Van Cutsem
ISBN: 88-8491-255-5
We sell this book for $140

A World of Rings
Author: Anne Van Custem
ISBN: 88-8118-530-X
We sell this book for $???

A World of Necklaces
Author: Anne Van Custem
ISBN: 88-8491-550-3
We sell this book for $???

A World of Earings
Africa, Asia, America
Author: Anne Van Custem
ISBN: 88 8118 973 9
We sell this book for $???

Asian Style
Author: Gilles De Bure
ISBN: 2-0801-3680-1

The Bead Directory
Author: Elise Mann
ISBN: 0-7318-1289-1
We sell this book for $39.95

The Crystal Bible – a definitive guide to crystals
Beautifully illustrated, this is a comprehensive guide to crystals, their shapes, colours and the practical and esoteric properties of each crystal.
Author: Judy Hall
ISBN: 1-84181-175-0
We have one copy of this book in the shop for reference only. Unfortunately we do not have this book available for sale.

Amulets. The world of secret powers charms and magic
Author: Sheila Paine
ISBN: 0-500-28510-1

Crosses of Ethiopia – The Sign of Faith, Evolution and Form
Author: Mario Di Salvo
ISBN: 13: 978-88-7624-256-4
ISBN: 10: 88-7624-256-2
We sell this book for $115.00

The Art of Silver Jewellery
From the Minorities of China, the Golden Triangle, Mongolia and Tibet.
Author: The Rene van der Star Collection
ISBN: 13: 978-88-7624-383-7
ISBN: 10: 88-7624-383-6
We sell this book for $105