What type of beads are used in this necklace?

In the antiques market in my country, I came across this necklace. The seller claims it is made from all the different colors of rhinoceros horn and is selling it for $525, which is a very high price in my country.

What I noticed is that the black pieces, when struck against each other, produce a solid, dull sound, not a plastic-like one, and they also have something resembling very fine hair-like fibers on the surface.

I did a bit of research and found someone asking about a similar necklace, and one of the replies stated that it was made from cow horn, which is very common and widely available.

So my question is: is this actually rhinoceros horn, or not?

Disclaimer: I am not trying to buy or sell any of these items. I am only trying to verify this because the price is extremely high, and many sellers assume buyers are ignorant and won’t do their own research.

 

https://zigzagasiancollection.com/products/large-horn-necklace

 

it's horn, but I don't know what kind. I'd be VERY reluctant to believe rhinoceros. It would be illegal to sell here, and the animal is endangered. It's also a crazy price for anything like that price without paperwork.

 

LOL, what? For $30? The guy is selling it for $525, I can’t believe it, man!!

 

525 yen maybe.

 

Why would anyone even want a necklace made from an endangered species? Beyond my ken. (In USA it is generally illegal to sell such items or to donate them to a charity--which cannot sell them.)

 

I am not trying to sell or buy it. Curiosity simply pushed me to research it, especially after the seller told me that it was an extremely rare, since this market is full of items whose sellers know nothing about and often invent stories about them. I doubted his claims, even though this was the first time I came across something like this. I took photos of it under the pretext of keeping them for reference only, and I also found this listing here: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/254774959153
It shows a necklace made from cow horns, featuring the same range of colors.

 

I included a disclaimer at the end. I do not live in the United States; I only listed the equivalent price in dollars. The seller claims that it is old and extremely rare, and he told me that it is made from all the colors of rhinoceros horn, which is why curiosity pushed me to research it and ask experts about it.

 

I hope no one buys it at that price. Rhino horn pieces tend to be VERY old and VERY spendy, if you can find a way to legally sell it. If that were real rhino, $525 would be a steal. As it is, I've seen similar in USAian thrift stores for $5 to $10.

 

I agree with @evelyb30. Here in the usa, a lot of these type of bone bead pieces show up in the thrift stores. I work at one so I can speak from experience.

 

I am not knowledgeable about these things, as they require an expert who understands the texture, sound, and appearance. However, logically speaking, if this necklace were truly made from the horn of an endangered animal, it would be worth this price in my country’s currency, and if I had the money, I would have bought it and kept it for myself. The real issue is that some sellers lie or imagine things without evidence. The bigger problem is a wealthy but inexperienced buyer who might believe the seller and fall into the trap of purchasing it.

 

So, in your opinion, what do you think this necklace is actually made of? Also, are you saying that this necklace, which the seller claims is worth $525, can be found selling for $5 to $10? That’s unbelievable.

 

And then attach inflated price tags!

 

Unfortunately, that’s true. I’ve noticed that thrift shops where you live have very cheap prices and often contain rare items. I’ve seen people on Reddit finding incredible collectibles for next to nothing. But in my country? Sadly, that’s not the case at all.

 

The bigger problem is a wealthy but inexperienced buyer who might believe the seller and fall into the trap of purchasing it.

Buyer Beware....... in all things !!

No Rino horn here that I can see...

 

This is exactly what I said, man. I knew from the moment he mentioned it that it wasn’t genuine, but I had never come across anything like this before to make a definitive judgment.

 

Cow horn comes in a variety of colors. The one I posted the link to says it was made in Nepal, where there are several different breeds of cow as well as yaks.

https://zigzagasiancollection.com/products/large-horn-necklace

As for beads made from rhino horn, I thought that would be unlikely. In the past, Rhino horn has been most valued as entire horns, often carved into cups, or in powdered form, but not cut up to form beads. However, here is an article from the BBC in 2017 which explains that rhino horn is being smuggled out in Africa in the shape of jewelry. These are some confiscated examples -

https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-41269126

Rhino horn is more limited in color, and of much greater value than even the $525 necklace. In short, your seller is either very devious, or very ill informed.

 

I believe the answer is truly a mix of both! He knows it is not rhino horn, but at the same time, he does not know exactly what it is made from. and yeah I also noticed that rhino horn colors are indeed very limited, yet in the photo you sent, it has been shaped into beads! I also found some necklaces made from it, so I believe they are either custom-made or rare compared to cups or other items? I am not sure.

 

I understand that you do not live in the US and were not trying to buy or sell the necklace. My comment was not directed at you!!! But for the fraudulent seller to claim rhino horn in order to boost prices indicates that that there is a market for rhino horn. I just was expressing amazement that anyone would want it and would pay a huge price to get it. (The issue is on my mind because I found what may be ivory among inherited items.)

 

Looks like a mix of cow and buffalo horn and bone beads. Horn and bone bead necklaces often come from India and Nepal. They are cheap and cheerful and no endangered species are ever used.

There are probably more buffaloes than yaks, and these beads are generally made in the low-lying areas where buffaloes are kept.

All species of rhino are on the CITES list, so no parts can be sold legally in countries that signed the treaty. Which is just about every country on the planet.