Where are the trade beads?

[Luann Udell]

Big "duh" here, but I'm finally browsing through the new R&T catalog and just realized there's no African trade beads section!  Just a few places for the newer versions...

I know it's a hard collection to keep current in a paper catalog, but I felt a little sad not to see it just the same....

Was the catalog just getting too darn big?  
Luann

[Luann Udell]

And to show that I have high praise for you, too, I was delighted to see you now have large-hole gemstone beads in the latest flyer--whoo hoo!!
Luann

[Polly]

I know, the trade beads really help the catalog be more interesting.

We still *have* a lot of trade beads, we just don't have many in print currently.  And web just isn't the same.

We do hope to put together some flyers or a small supplement of trade beads at some point, and mail it to all who are interested.  It's still a few projects away though.  We've nicely recovered from the move, (we have about 80 pix that will be online late next week), and we're chipping away at a complete revision of how to find things in the online store.  (Replacing all our wordy link pages, with nice clean tables that include representative images for each category).  Not to far behind that, I think are some trade bead flyers.  What are your favorite materials / styles?  We'll be sure at least one page is just for you '>

--Polly

[Luann Udell]

Well, not being a well-heeled collector....  '>
It's always embarrassing to reveal the ones I love most.  But I use a lot of the smaller, less expensive beads in my work:

The Prosser pressed Czech glass disks, the ones meant to imitate pipestone.  I love these in brown (both the older versions and the smaller, newer more "ringlike" versions), and adore the turquoise ones.  

The smaller, sort of roughly faceted short "tubes" style of "Russian blues" (they run from around 4mm to 6mm in size.)  I love the good "Russian blues" too, but can never afford them.

Padre beads

The older powder glass beads from Ghana, especially the black/white and brown/white striped ones.  

The small "Awale" chevron beads in steel blue and rust striped.

Almost all of the pony bead striped beads.  I don't know their official names, but I use a lot of the red/white striped, blue/white striped, and my favorites, the ones that look like lime green and rusty-brown/white striped pony beads.  I think you call these "E" beads from Ghana....??

I LOVE vaseline glass bicone beads, especially the opaque periwinkle blue ones and the opaque robin's egg blue ones.  Also the transparent yellow ones....

I'm recently hooked on the Kings Cross style beads--bodoms???  I like green, yellow and brown.

And Hebron beads, in turquoise, green and yellow.

Watermelon chevrons, especially in blue, green and turquoise.

I used to have no use for the (Venetian?) millefiore beads, but I've grown to love them, especially in brown, green and yellow.

There very first strand of trade beads I bought was a strand of "Sherpa coral".

My personal favorites are the large amber beads, especially the ones that have been repaired with wire and brads and those wriggly framing corner things.  

I have a couple strands of the "Tradewinds" beads, but can now tell one strand is probably fake.  

I discovered pumtek beads at the last R&T show I visited, and though they are not new, I adore them!

(Do you see a color theme goin' here?)  

I'm also realizing that this is just about your entire section of trade beads....

[Polly]

Thanks, I'm going to get a couple people working on a flyer with those.    The inexpensive ones are actually easier to catalog (or flyer) because we have many strands @ 12.50/strand, rather than one unique $275.00 strand.

We've been neglecting trade beads for a while -- we had just recovered from converting the catalog to full-color, when we starting organizing for the move.  Now, we're all moved, and still have almost a year before we start the next catalog.  So it's the right time to start a trade bead flyer!

--Polly

[Luann Udell]

Yay, Polly!  Can't wait to see it....
I really think there's going to be a boom in trade beads.  The new ethnic/big chunky beads/naturals look in fashion jewelry is just getting stronger, with models wearing layers of incredibly beautiful and eclectic beaded jewelry.  
Let's ride the wave!  '>
I've circled the 24th on my calendar--R&T in Woburn, MA, whoo hoo!
Luann

[Luann Udell]

Okay, I'm just back from a fabulous shopping extravaganza in Woburn, MA (pronounced "woo-bun", btw) and my purse is considerably lighter.  CONSIDERABLY lighter...!!!

Polly, please extend my thank you to whoever sent out more trade beads to the show!  I did find about two dozen strands, including 4-6 strands of Venetians, a good strand of mixed, some Russian blues, some watermelon chevrons and several strands of those funny little gear and flower beads I've been looking for, for ages.  I would have bought even more Venetians if I'd found the sizes/colors/patterns, but I'm very happy with what I did get.  

THANK YOU ALL!!!

I noticed much more interest in trade beads at this show, btw, though I could tell most of the people in my time slot didn't know too much about them.  Even so, usually I have the whole table to myself, and this time I had to share!  That's good, if it encourages R&T to send more to shows, but bad if they become more in demand.....  hmmmm.....  Maybe I should have hidden them!  

I had a wonderful time, met Russ's son and Melissa, and did my bit to support R&T.  '>
best wishes,
Luann