Here we have two handmade silver and brass beads with a turquoise-coloured enamel Inlay which resemble a blue coloured gemstone - distinctly middle eastern.
Because of their shape, some call them metal egg beads while others call them barrel beads – but call them what you like – they remain tribal and ethnic in every sense.
Measuring 11x12mm, the beads have been handmade made by the traditional nomadic Sunni Muslim Kazakhs, who originally come from the Ural Mountains in Kazakhstan.
And there’s no question these beads can be used to make ethnic-inspired statement jewellery such as a pair of earrings, a necklace, bangles or an anklet.
They are hollow and have been decorated with intricate silver wire work and circular frames with lapis inlaid – plus their familiar trademark called ‘false granulation’ – which depict triangular imprints.
Crude in texture, each bead is individually hand-made in the Kazakh style and have become an important currency when trading for goods.
Their style is often mistaken for Turkoman craftsmanship – which is actually, quite different, because their beads do not contain the ‘False Granulation’.
The nomads are also known as Kuchi Kazakh with numbers these days close to three million and mainly settled in the northern regions of Afghanistan.
The beads in this collection weigh it at about 20 grams - have been discounted and now cost $7.00 each.
All our ethnic Kazakh Egg Beads contain a decent 3-4mm top-drill hole which is suitable for threading with round leather, Tigertail or craftline (similar to fishing line).
The accompanying photos illustrate what to expect in your order; please note that some images have been enlarged to show detail.
Please note, the accompanying images may have been enlarged to show detail, while colours may vary slightly due to lighting variants.