Featured Need help identifying vintage beads

Discussion in 'Jewelry' started by Kate Q, Jun 26, 2022.

  1. Kate Q

    Kate Q Active Member

    These belonged to my great grandmother, so dating from the 50’s? My mom thinks they’re made of china, any further ideas as to make/origin?

    I love them and am trying to decide how best to use them. Many have a black mark around the hole, I’m not sure what this is and what is the safest way to try and remove it.

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    Last edited: Jun 26, 2022
  2. wlwhittier

    wlwhittier Well-Known Member

    I'll risk offering this...don't remove anything until you're sure it doesn't belong, or is really harmful to leave.

    They are lovely, and the black may be a legitimate indicator of their artisan and/or place of origin.

    Just sayin'...
     
  3. DragonflyWink

    DragonflyWink Well-Known Member

    Born2it, Kate Q, Figtree3 and 5 others like this.
  4. Lucille.b

    Lucille.b Well-Known Member

    Dragonflywink has ID'd it. :)

    The black marks at the bead opening might even be dirt or a bit of dye from whatever cord it was on previously. It might not show up depending on how you restring them.

    I think these would make a lovely necklace! Not sure how many of the white millefiore beads you have, you could add newer beads in between if you need more length. Do you have a bead store anywhere near where you live? They might give you some ideas.
     
    Born2it, Kate Q, wlwhittier and 4 others like this.
  5. Kate Q

    Kate Q Active Member

    Thanks to all for the replies!

    I have 100+ beads, I'm trying to remember, maybe originally some of them were made into a rosary? I was thinking to make a necklace/bracelet set. I'm not sure whether I should worry about using glass beads in a bracelet, but I think that's how I'd use them the most and not have them sitting in a drawer. ;)
     
    bercrystal and Figtree3 like this.
  6. Figtree3

    Figtree3 What would you do if you weren't afraid?

    Please post an update to this thread if you do make them into something. They are pretty!
     
    Born2it, Kate Q, Lucille.b and 3 others like this.
  7. elarnia

    elarnia SIWL

    Lovely beads. The dark marks in the holes could be, as suggested, rub-off from the previous stringing material, or could be from the mandrel they were fired on. You could pick out one with the black on it and try a q-tip with a mild dish soap solution on it to clean them.

    To string you should look for a spacer bead to keep the porcelain beads from rubbing against each other. You could use seed beads, either clear or pick up color(s) in bead design, or use some small metallic spacer beads. I think they might look really good with some coral spacers. You could also string them on beading ribbon or silk ribbon cord, with or without knots between beads.

    The cool thing about stringing beads is that you can always take it apart and do something different if you don't like the first effort. Do please let us know what you do with them.
     
    Born2it, Kate Q, Lucille.b and 4 others like this.
  8. wlwhittier

    wlwhittier Well-Known Member

    That's a Grand idea, elarnia!
     
    Lucille.b likes this.
  9. elarnia

    elarnia SIWL

  10. wlwhittier

    wlwhittier Well-Known Member

    Aren't they Lovely?
     
    Born2it and Caro Tinley like this.
  11. Kate Q

    Kate Q Active Member

    I finished repurposing the beads this afternoon. I found some vintage, cherry red whiteheart glass beads on Etsy that I thought would do well as spacers. After cleaning the beads in watery, mild dish soap I made a stretch bracelet and a long strand necklace. I even had enough to make a second stretch bracelet for my mom ❣️

    Thanks again for the comments and suggestions, I love how it came together.

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    Isy Jay, quirkygirl, KSW and 6 others like this.
  12. Figtree3

    Figtree3 What would you do if you weren't afraid?

    Wonderful! Great rehab project with your great-grandmother's beads.
     
    KSW, Any Jewelry and bercrystal like this.
  13. elarnia

    elarnia SIWL

    Well done. It's lovely, and you actually got it done! That's the hardest part. :banghead:
     
    KSW, Figtree3 and bercrystal like this.
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