Featured Loose beads... Amber? Faturan?

These were in a small bag on a "FREE" table at a sale that had pretty nice older things.

Obviously a no-brainer in case they would turn out to be interesting.

They do not feel like plastic. They are heavier, not as warm, no seams, a bit more solid feeling than plastic. Just did a test with a UV light and they do fluoresce. Can anyone make a guess from the photos? Thanks.

 

Very nice beads, Lucille, and free!
Have you tested them for bakelite?
If you rub them with your fingers and thumb, what does it smell like?

 

Thanks, AJ.

Had a bit of a Bakelite obsession a few years ago, bought/sold quite a bit. I'm ruling out Bakelite (at least the vintage jewelry type of Bakelite) for these due to the look and feel of them. I just did the rub test to be sure, and no scent. Also they fluoresce.

I'm not exactly sure what Faturan is. Internet is saying "a mixture of Bakelite and Amber". I could do a simichrome test if that tells me anything?

Here is another photo. The top of the beads are sort of "stained" from whatever they were next to formerly. I tried cleaning just with water, it felt more stained than dirt maybe. Also the beads are solid, not hollow.

 

Some faturan has amber in it, but not all faturan does. Since there were several makers, everyone with their own closely guarded secret mix, it can be difficult to recognize.
This site has the best info I could find:

https://www.kombologia.com/the-truth-about-faturan/

Most faturan will not show anything in a simichrome test. So if you have a positive result, it is unlikely to be faturan.

 

Pic 3 shows tool marks...I think there's a high probability you've scored Amber for Free! Very nice work, Lucille!

 

Thank you for the link, AJ. I do appreciate you taking a look at these.

I was wondering about what sort of looks like tool marks when you look an an enlargement.

Although I know little about Amber or Faturan, I can tell you they are unusual in the hand. Just the solid feel, weight, etc. Something different I haven't run into before.

Mostly trying to educate myself so I can properly list these. Thanks!

 

I'll bid, if you'll offer a link to the listing. Good fortune, either way!

 

Well, after you spent such a fortune I had to look!

I like them very much, and I can see them on an ethnic necklace. So they could be faturan, or at least some sort of Middle Eastern phenolic acid beads. Have you tried rubbing them yet?

Maybe the staining is from metal beads or spacers.

 

Rubbing results in zero smell. And I'm an expert and getting the Bakelite smell with the rubbing trick.

I'm sure you are correct the staining is from some former beads or spacers.

Could they be amber?

 

Amber is extremely lightweight, and you say these are heavier than plastic. Amber also has a pine smell when rubbed. So I don't think so.

I have some mystery amber lookalike beads that are also heavier than amber. They fluoresce, but aren't amber. These could be the same material.

Just to be sure, did you do the float test?

 

Thanks. These are heavier than plastic, but one difference is that they are solid unlike a plastic bead which would be hollow. Might explain the weight difference.

I will try the salt water float test.

 

Try ye olde baking soda test too, just for giggles. They look like they have real tool marks on them so I'd think they're not normal molded beads.

I have to agree with others: for that price it was hard to miss.

 

Will report findings tomorrow. Just got called away.

 

look like butterscotch amber from here........... bwdik..

 

For FREE?! Wow, whatever they are, they are a great score. Well spotted

 

Finally back. More information with a full retraction of some earlier reported data.

Turns out these do NOT fluoresce. Early on, we looked with sort of a wimpy UV light that was going on and off, and friend said, "they are definitely fluorescing" so I went with that. I haven't really dealt with amber before, not one to use UV light for stuff, so deferred to her expertise.

Meanwhile did a version of the salt water test and they sunk like rocks.

I suddenly remembered I had a big UV light in storage. With this light, I was not seeing any fluorescence.

Out comes the Simichrome, and I got what I'm pretty sure is a positive Bakelite result. Definite stain on the Q tip. I cannot get the smell by rubbing and they are so different from the 30's Bakelite jewelry I'm used to, maybe less polished? But I can't deny that staining. I'm wondering if these were from an old prayer necklace?

 

Thanks for the update Lucille, at least you know now.

Could be from a tesbih or Greek worry beads. Could also be from a necklace.

 

Worry beads would not surprise me a bit. If I had those I'd probably be busily restringing them on something I could knot.