Featured Mixed red plastic bead necklace

Hi folks

I bet you can guess what I thought this was when I found it

Unfortunately I don't think so now. They leave a red mark when tested not yellow, and there look to be seams on some of the small ones (not all)

They do create a smell in hot water test, but quite a nice smell, so totally confused as to what they are

Several different types as well

Still quite lovely looking though

Any thoughts to what they are appreciated

 

Pretty though, and individually knotted, which is good. The costume joolies will probably know more.

 

O those knots, I got all excited about those knots

 

Are they not a molded synthetic? I see seams.Pretty and higher quality since knotted.

 

Good quality sixties plastic. Nice, too.

 

Legend, thanks obb

 

What DID you think they were?

 

I thought they could of been cherry amber bakelite beads, and if you do a search, they sell for a pretty penny.

But they wouldn't have seams if that was the case

So these are probably a later faux cherry amber plastic

 

Red acrylic bead necklace. Mostly. Did you check those opaque four along with the rest? Those would have me curious. I'd check them with the baking soda test. It works on red bakelite as often as not. (damp q tip dipped in baking soda and rubbed hard on the bead. Hold it close to your nose while you're doing it just in case. Bakelite should smell of formaldehyde.)

Somebody restrung two broken pieces together to make one necklace - probably the old nylon "string" and cotton string died the death of all nylon strings and old cotton. They clear ones look good at first, but there was no way they were bakelite when held to a light. If you see a bubble-like area inside the bead, it ain't. Bakelite beads have to be drilled. The acrylic ones have those bubble areas. The others?

 

Hi evey

The opaque ones don't produce any colour with the qtip/soda test

But smell like the small ones do( not bakelite smell)

I think acrylic is right

 

None at all ... those opaque ones might be "right". They don't always test.

 

Are there definitely seams in the clear ones? I'm not seeing that, but sounds like you confirmed? Seams would definitely rule out Bakelite as stated.

Those larger opaque ones are interesting to my eye. (And no seams, right?) Evelyb might be correct someone combined beads to create this necklace.

I don't often see acrylic beads hand knotted. Of course there will be examples out there, but maybe hang on to this for a bit until you are 100% sure what is what.