African Amber, Medium Large Dark Amber Bead with Altered Shape Due to Wear, 17x29mm

Rich, warm, dark caramel African amber bead showing smooth wear, 17x29mm This is unusual wear pattern on this bead shows firs of all that it was worn for a long time, probably with other amber beads or flat sided metal beads, Second it illustrates how the exposed surface darkened over time, while the hidden/or worn away surface retains the original lighter color. The dark outer color indicates that this is one of the earliest African amber beads. The pre-1940 formula darkens over time, later resins did not have this property. The second image shows a full side view but the color difference is not as obvious in this shot. The material these vintage/antique beads are made of is an early synthetic called phenolic thermosetting resin. It was developed in 1910. Bakelite is the best known brand among several European manufacturers producing faux amber beads, jewelry and household products before World War II. Phenolic resin amber beads probably started coming to Africa as a substitute for r