Old Beads: pipestone perhaps?

[OntarioArch]

No question: I need a good primer on 'beads'. I just ordered a book: The History of Beads: From 30,000 B.C. to the Present, by Dubin. Hope it helps. I have a set of beads with no provenance, but that sure look old. The other artifacts in this Old Time collection originated from southwest NY and Ohio area. My 'scope at 10x shows the exterior mineralization better than the attached pics, but it's the best I can do for now. Also, it looks to me like staining around inside of the hole, that has leached into the bead material.

I'm hoping these are historic, old, NA made, and not contemporary. Doesn't that mineralization indicate they were buried for a l-o-n-g time? And could they be pipestone?
What would be most helpful is a set of photomicrographs at 10x of pipestone beads; bone beads; shell beads; clay beads. Wouldn't that make just a dandy Master's thesis?!

 

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[monsterrack]

Just from what I see from the photo it's a glass trade bead, the type I don't know. The book you ordered will help some but it won't have every bead in it. Believe me you will have to start a library of bead books. The best information I have found was an old book with photos of cards with beads on them.

 

[OntarioArch]

There is certainly a Lot to know. For sure. All I have to go on .....for now..... is advice from more experienced collectors - which I appreciate - and looking around the 'Net for look alikes. Check out the previously auctioned "catlinite and shell beads" necklace attached here:

 

[smokeythecat]

I also think it's a European glass bead. I doubt it's pipestone, I think for the most part that pipestone would be one color. I had that book, the pictures (if I got this right), were in a chart at the end and so small I couldn't read them! Anyway, look for "Venetian trade bead" or "fur trade bead" on google or Amazon and you might get quicker results.

 

[OntarioArch]

A couple more non-magnified pics.

 

[monsterrack]

A couple more non-magnified pics.

View attachment 1729190
View attachment 1729191

I can't really tell from the photo, but is there a yellow tint on the end and center of some of these.

 

[OntarioArch]

I can't really tell from the photo, but is there a yellow tint on the end and center of some of these.

Looks like mineralization under the microscope.

 

[Indian Steve]

I'm thinking that the "tinge" on the ends is from beads rubbing together while on a necklace. The one with the black on the end has me wondering though. My first thought was glass trade beads but second thought was possibly pipestone. Either way, they are very cool beads! I would love to have them.

 

[Indian Steve]

Is the bead in the first picture black or blue in the center? I think you have a mix of different beads. Still, Very Cool!

 

[old digger]

I believe these are usually called the ''Hudson Bay Bead'' , or the ''Cornaline d' Aleppo'' bead. They are usually a red bead with a yellow or white inner core. The older ones the came from the Hudson Bay Co. had a green center. They were round and tubular like your examples. Those are some really nice specimens.

A couple more non-magnified pics.

View attachment 1729190
View attachment 1729191

 

[OntarioArch]

Looks like a Bullseye, Old Digger! A quick search looks like you are right-on. A will do more reading later when I get a chance... Thanks!
Now.....should I clean them to remove mineralization and expose the inner core colors? I'm guessing - no way! - but maybe?

 

[monsterrack]

Looks like a Bullseye, Old Digger! A quick search looks like you are right-on. A will do more reading later when I get a chance... Thanks!
Now.....should I clean them to remove mineralization and expose the inner core colors? I'm guessing - no way! - but maybe?

If they were mine I would clean them with soap and water only. JMO

 

[smokeythecat]

Soap and water only. Harsher chemicals can be a huge problem. I agree with the Hudson Bay type trade beads, which are very, very nice. I have a set here somewhere...

 

[OntarioArch]

Soap and water, only, it is. Comprehensive journal article, will read when I get time:

https://www.researchgate.net/public..._PRINCIPAL_DEPOT_YORK_FACTORY_MANITOBA_CANADA

Thanks to all!

Next....about those tiny, tubular shell beads or maybe bone beads....found on the same necklace. For another time!

 

[joshuaream]

If they are really crackled/crazed, you might get some peeling/shedding of layers if you wash them. I’d certainly try it on one or two, and not the best ones, first and see how it goes. As they dry, salts can crystallise and flake off layers of glass. (It won’t happen to some types of beads, but it could happen depending on how many layers, temps when made, etc.)

Here is a picture of some very old Spanish trade beads that I dug in the Caribbean. You can see some of them were flaking a bit.