Featured Sorry, another 'What's it made of?'

Black bracelet panel beads approx 2cm long. I'm not sure what they are made of. Firstly I thought wood or bog oak by the splits in the sides which look very wood like but wood doesn't equate with what looks like a pressed design on the top. The pattern is identical on every bead. Then there is the odd texture on the back where it looks like it's breaking down slightly or a surface lacquer is coming off.
They don't chink like glass or jet and aren't brown like vulcanite.
Any ideas please?
Thankyou

 

Bog oak?

 

Is the design on each panel exactly the same? Are they 2 different substances, do you think?

 

Molded papier-mache, lacquered?

 

I wondered that but the pattern looks pressed not carved.

All one substance I think. No joins unless well hidden. The pattern is identical on all beads.

That could be an inspired conclusion 2MB. It would fit with what it looks and feels like.

Any ideas of age?

 

Just a suggestion. They used to make pressed wood snuff boxes, no idea if they made jewellery though.
https://www.1stdibs.com/furniture/d...ox-charles-x-early-19th-century/id-f_4579803/

 

Could well be as that looks very similar. Then lacquered which we can see coming off the back. I never knew there was such a thing as pressed wood but I think you have nailed it. That says early 19th Century, I will go and google when it was a ‘ thing’! Thanks everyone

 

Might be pressed horn KSW, not sure.

 

Bois durci was another thought, since beads do not seem to have been carved.

 

I also thought of a similar material, used to make "union" cases for daguerreotypes - "The process was created by heating the combination or the union of several materials that included fibrous material, wood fiber, gum shellac and color dye". But I have never seen union cases with additional lacquer applied.

 

You are on fire today Houseful!. Could be horn. I'll dig my UV light out when I get home.

Off to Google before I appear (more) ignorant.........

 

That could well be the case here that it's a mixture of whatever they could get their hands on!.

 

Bois Durci
'It is made from finely ground wood 'flour' mixed with a binder, either egg or blood albumen or gelatine'

Excuse me if I don't tap it on my teeth or worse still taste test it as has been suggested on previous threads ......

 

Can horn be pressed?

 

Yes, here’s a few.
https://www.morninggloryjewelry.com/articles/gallery/victorian-bog-oak-pressed-horn-jewelry/

 

Bingo Houseful.
Definite UV reaction on the side areas without the thick lacquer. So Victorian(?) pressed horn it seems to be.
Apologies for fingers in photos but I couldn’t juggle it any other way.

 

This looks to be a great source of information (after your good selves of course!). Two pages on mourning jewellery if you scroll down.
https://gemsetlove.com/blogs/identifly-an-informational-blog-on-jewelry-identification

 

You guys are amazing!

 

You don't know about the history of the "Horners" in the UK? https://www.horners.org.uk/the-company/the-horn-collection/

https://www.modip.ac.uk/collections?search=wchl&columbo[0]=classification:5547&page=2

 

No, I had no idea!. Thanks for that Holly