African Ghana vintage sandcast glass trade beads, 1 random group of 10, from West Coast of Africa, terra cotta, blue and gray striped

African Ghana vintage sandcast glass trade beads, 1 random group of 10, from West Coast of Africa, terra cotta, blue and gray striped. Being handmade beads will not be uniform and may have small chips or imperfections.

These beads were obtained at an auction over 10 years ago and had been a part of the inventory of a western supply store in the mountains that had been close for 20 years prior. Most of the inventory had been sitting for years. The 1970s is a conservative estimate and they could well be much older.

These 'recycled glass' beads were handcrafted in Ghana, Africa by pulverizing old, discarded glass (bottles, windshields, etc), adding colorant and then pouring the powder into crude clay molds. The stem of a local plant is added, this burns away during firing, leaving a hole for stringing. The beads are fired in a primitive, wood-burning earthen oven. Many beads are hand painted with traditional designs and then strung on raffia. The process of making these beads is unique to Africa and has been used for over 1000 years. The Ghanaian’s have been making beads in this manner since the 1600s. Beads such as these are often worn as traditional waist beads.

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supplies, lampwork, beads, handmade, present, gift, pendant, necklace, diy, Kawaii, maneki neko, sandcast