Featured Intricately beaded Jewelry Necklace with imitation pearls

Hello. We have had this necklace in the family for a number of decades (possibly bought between the 1950s and 1970s by someone that traveled widely but was based in the UK). I am not very familiar with jewelry, but this necklace seems to have a very intricately made with beads. It has a length of approximately 50 cm or 20 inches when laid out as shown in the first image. As you can see, it has a geometric pattern, and there imitation pearls at the bottom. Has anyone seen anything like this before or have any ideas about its origin?

Many thanks,
James Robertson

 

Sorry. These are the images now included. Thanks.

 

It appears to have similarities to a few different provenances?
Hope this gives you a few ideas to follow.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/538975255/1940s-native-american-lariatbohemian

https://www.1stdibs.com/jewelry/nec...lass-bead-native-style-necklace/id-v_2449753/

https://www.etsy.com/listing/869549156/ukrainian-gerdan-beaded-necklaceethnic

https://thedecohaus.com/products/th...ed-1920s-sautoir-necklace-sterling-grey-black

https://macondo.ru/projects/show/395

 

Good links above to get you started.

I would say 1970s at the earliest. I would have even guessed a bit later.

Thank you for the excellent photos.

 

The style was fashionable in the 1920s but the composition of your necklace appears to be much later. 1970s at the earliest, I'd think.

Debora

 

I believe I have seen similar, modern examples coming out of India. But I don't have time at the moment to chase down references.

 

India certainly a possibility.

Debora

 

Thanks everyone for the comments. Much appreciated because I don't know anything about jewelry specifically. I think India is a good shout. I also think perhaps Egypt or Sudan. I am not sure if you can see from the images, it would take a lot of hours to do this by worker by hand. Furthermore, these countries also seem a fit with the geometric and decorative design. Thanks for the person that linked to Native American examples. It does have a very similar structure to the Native American examples. Of course it does not look like a traditional Native American jewelry, but could be by a Native American in the 1960s or 1970s who was influenced by European/North African/Indian style.

Thanks,
James

 

As the posts above indicate, it is a pretty generic style. I think the faux pearls could be an indication, I haven't seen those on this type beaded necklaces before.

As an ethnic jewellery collector i'd say that is very unlikely. But then again you never know, there could be that one rogue beader who was inspired by foreign traditions.

 

That's very interesting. Perhaps it is North American then because it does look structurally very similar to the example linked by marco above. However, I do not think that this type of pearl is part of the tradition there, that is why I suggest the Old World inspiration. Based on your thinking it unlikely to be North African, then India is also perhaps the other most likely option then; because in the late 20th century they had skilled craftspeople producing things cheaply for Western tourists or perhaps for export.

Thanks,
James

 

Given the pearls, I'd have to wonder about USA crafters. Bead looming has been around as a popular craft off and on since the 60s. It's not impossible that it's Native American-made, but it's more likely to have come from a crafter.

 

If you do a search for 'beaded sautoir' you will see others with the same general construction & geometric, art deco designs. A difference is that those seem to have been done with tiny seed beads. Yours seems like a re-creation using larger beads, which would have been done more easily & quickly than seed bead work, so, as has already been said, seems more likely to be from 60s/70s than from the flapper era, when the style originated.

 

I've got a couple of these, similar in general form but having different design elements an' colors. I've read all your comments with interest, an' thank you for what I've learned. I'll post pics of them together in a new thread.

 

I saw on TikTok some girl from Ukraine is doing similar during "live stream".

 

This type of loom beading must take many hours to do. I cannot see how it would be financially viable for someone to make money from doing this in the modern world (I don't know much about TikTok). But it is a great artistic skill!

 

Average monthly income in some counties can match what some see as a days work and to others an hourly rate. That’s the average so assume about 50% is below this. With very little skills to do with, they are left with hand down family skills to feed their family. I always appreciate handmade items over factory for this and artistic reasons.

‘average monthly income in Afghanistan($15 a week) appears to be close to what a McDonald’s employee hourly rate seeks these day

 

You are right. It takes a lot time. This girl is disabled. It looks like she has Cerebral palsy. She is young, looks like around 25. She is using Live stream during all time she is working. It is so interesting watch process of her work. Thousands of people visiting her streams. She is selling her works over the World. I understand only part of Ukrainian. Her videos just "pop to me by TikTok Live stream decision" and I saw some her works and some of them are so big and unique. Amazing!!! She was saying that some items need weeks to be made. People are ordering from her depend what they like. She is getting income and from Live Stream (people send her tons of Paid Stickers) and like I said she sales a lot. Some works are very expensive, hundreds $$. But I want to cry every time when I see her. She is so young, so tiny and so hard-working girl.

 

And clearly a strong girl in spirit and determination. That is more important than her disability, because it defines who she is.

 

She found an honest way to feed herself using tools she had available. There's no arguing with that.