Did you know…?
Blue beads were among the most desirable throughout American history Joan Mowat Erikson writes in The Universal Bead:
The value of beads differed according to their size, color, and decoration. What individual traders demanded for their beads we will, in all probability, never know, but the Hudson Bay Company has left some meager records which give us an idea of standards of value. All references to value are quoted in terms of 'one made beaver,' a beaver skin which has been dried and is ready for tanning. A bead of green or yellow glass, about the size of a pea, was valued at six for one made beaver. A somewhat larger light-blue bead had a value of three or four for a skin; for a large bead of opaque light-blue glass, the trader demanded two skins.
The high prestige of the color blue is clearly recorded, since mention is made repeatedly in accounts of trading with southern and western Indians of the demand for blue beads and blue beads only. The Seminole squaws, when blue glass beads became available, wore as many strings as they were able to afford and could carry around their necks. Young Tiger Tail's wife is described as being bedecked with at least two hundred such strings of blue beads. Of course, she was visiting relatives and was willing, apparently, to forgo moving her head for the satisfaction of being well dressed.
Lewis and Clark, who explored the West, also write of the power of the blue glass bead. Their records note many incidents of Indians refusing to trade at all except for the preferred blue beads. The natives they encountered on their westward trek were already in possession of these glass beads, and there is a challenging note in the journals which suggest they came from China. One may hazard the guess that they came to this continent in trade during the years of brisk traffic in sea-otter skins between China and California which nearly resulted in the extinction of the California sea otter. From the Columbia River region Lewis and Clark recorded the following in their journals:
“In the evening Seven indians of the Clot sop Nation came over in a Canoe, they brought with then 2 Sea otter Skins for which they asked blue beads and such high prices that we were unable to purchase them without reducing our Small Stock of Merchandize, on which we depended for Substinance on our return trip up this river. Mearly to try the Indian who had one of those Skins, I offered him my Watch, handkerchief a bunch of red beads and a dollar of the American coin, all of which he refused and demanded 'ti-a-co-mo-shack' which is Chief beads and the common blue beads, but few of which we have at this time.”
The Crow Indians, we are told, were among the earliest of the Upper Missouri tribes to employ trade beads in their decorative arts, in which they excelled. In the early 1800's they already were in possession of 'small blue glass beads that they get from the Spaniards but by the second and third man' - that is, through the Shoshoni, who traded with the Southwest. They too regarded these so highly that they would pay as much as a horse for one hundred blue beads."
Erikson, Joan Mowat. The Universal Bead. W.W. Norton & Company, New York. 1993.
Ask Us!
Q.What is the best way to keep my sterling silver jewelry and beads looking fresh and new? They tend to go black from tarnish.
A. Silver darkens because of oxidization, which is caused by exposure to oxygen. So, the most effective way to keep your silver bright and shiny is to keep it in an airtight bag or box. Of course, this is impossible while we are actually wearing the silver so we need to touch it up now and then. One of the easiest ways to maintain your silver is with a polishing cloth that has polishing compound embedded in the material. It is generally safe for stones, is an effective cleaner, and is easy to use. Just rub the cloth over the silver surface to remove oxidization. Remember not to wash your polishing cloth; you don’t want to remove the polishing compound. Over time, it will darken and eventually need replacement but it lasts a lot longer than you might think. We use and sell Sunshine Polishing Cloths at Mana Beads. If you are trying to clean a silver chain that has no beads or stones involved, you can also use liquid silver cleaners – the kind most people use for flatware. These are much more chemically abrasive and may damage stones, glass, wood, etc. Liquid cleaners will also remove any wanted oxidization – the darkened, recessed areas that help define a pattern or design – so avoid the liquids on these types of silver jewelry as well. What about a piece with lots of silver components as well as other materials? It might be a real pain in the neck to hand-rub every bit of silver. Unfortunately, there are not many options once the silver has badly tarnished. The best solution is preventative maintenance. That means storing your jewelry properly in between uses, and occasionally touching up the silver with a cloth.
Have a question for us? drop it in the mail to: Ask Us!, Mana Beads, 423 Broad St. Nevada City, CA 95959 or email it to newsletter@manabeads.com
How To…
Use a cone to finish a multiple-strand necklace or bracelet.
Cones make a great finish to any piece, especially multiple-strand necklaces. And with basic stringing and wire skills, anyone can do it!
1. String all your strands to the desired length without finishing any ends (use tape or bead stoppers on the ends). You may need to end each side with smaller beads so that all your strands will fit in the cone you’ve chosen.
2. Make a closed-loop, or “wrapped loop”, at the end of a 2-3” piece of wire (typically at least 22ga) forming an eyepin.
3. Attach all your strands to this loop, using any method you like: tie knots, use crimp beads, etc. Just make sure they are well-attached and not overly bulky.
4. Pull the straight wire of your homemade eyepin through the cone, pulling the loop and all the attached strands into the wide end of the cone.
5. At the smaller end of the cone, make another closed loop in the wire, attaching one side of your clasp before you wrap the loop closed. For added interest, add a bead before you attach your clasp.
Repeat on the other side and you’re done!
Want to see it demonstrated? Come in anytime and we’ll show you how! |
