Featured Rough glass bead necklace

I think this has been restrung with a new clasp as the rough beads are so different to the little spacer beads so unknown if the glass beads are contemporary with the lattice metal beads.
Big beads are very roughly made as you can see- do you think there is genuine age to them or just badly made tourist tat?!.
I’d welcome any of your thoughts as I’ve not seen any like this before.
Thanks for looking

 

Wow, interesting that these are glass. following..

 

When I picked them up I thought they would be Amber or faux Amber but they are definitely glass.

 

The brass beads make me think of India. The glass ones possibly are "bottle glass" beads, made from old bottles?

 

They're certainly primitive enough for recycled glass. The construction looks like homebrew; some kid with some pliers and beading wire put that together from the look of it.

 

The brass beads are Ashanti, from Ghana, made with the lost wax casting technique.

 

The penny drops. I have an East African necklace here with similar construction. It's still homebrew, but the Home may well have been in West Africa.

 

That makes sense to me since I've always thought of bottle beads as made in Africa.

 

Brilliant. Thankyou.

 

Thankyou

 

I'm with 2manybooks, the necklace is from Ghana. The glass beads are handmade from powdered glass, hence the rough, artisan look.
The necklace is recent, and although I can't see the clasp, I have no reason to believe it is a replacement.
Homebrew is indeed in Ghana, although the home could actually be a small workshop.

 

Ah, learned something new re beads made from powdered glass. Thanks.

 

Me too. Well worth my £1 outlay for some more knowledge!

 

Bingo! Except I believe the beads were made from recycled soda bottles, again, sand cast.

 

PS: The designs of the brass beads are consistent with old bronze designs. Depending on the metal content, they could be a new version of bronze, but that would take destructive testing. Better to keep as is as these are getting scarce.

 

Ooh, is there a profit to be made on my £1?!

 

The brass beads are still being made, and available for $7.50 for 10:
https://www.etsy.com/listing/738697...MI-6-1p6PD5wIVyuDICh0PWQvvEAkYFCABEgImVPD_BwE

 

Probably not going to make my fortune then!

 

You will make some profit, but not much. The brass beads are still cast, so please don't test them, and the powder glass beads are still made from shattered windows, glass bottles, etc. They have personalized molds to make the glass beads, a bit like bucket faux amber. Recycling Ghana style.

 

I'm not really serious as you know. I'm pinning my hopes on my 15ct mothy bird foot . It's just such fun to find out how and where things are made. I've got a little picture in my mind now of bare feet, molten glass and no A&E within a donkey ride away!.