Wedding Globular Bohemian Trade Beads Sidley Collection

"Wedding Beads" were crafted in the Czech Republic explicitly for the African market during the 1950s and began their export from Africa to the US and Europe in the 1980s. Available in various shapes, colors, and patterns, these beads include popular designs such as the round teardrop and the flat teardrop. Additionally, "Wedding beads" were fashioned in flat tabular forms, stylized claw shapes, and various other varieties.

Provenance: Niña Sidley Collection

After a long career in publishing, Niña Sidley returned to her first love: collecting the art, artifacts, and textiles of the world’s indigenous peoples. Part of her mission has been to educate others and to honor the extraordinary creativity, ingenuity, and heartfelt messages these hand made works send from their makers. Niña believes this deep respect for tradition and beauty inspires and ties all of us together as one world.

This strand is not intended to be a ready-to-wear necklace. Although the strand can be worn "as is," the string holding it together is not durable and may break with use. For this reason, we recommend that you restring the beads before wearing them.

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