Beads Collection

Lawton, Mary, Miss, portrait photograph, 1915. Creator: Arnold Genthe
Lawton, Mary, Miss, portrait photograph, 1915

Lourdes - The statue in the Grotto
Statue of Our Lady of Lourdes, France in the Grotto at this sacred Christian site

Hmong children under umbrella in the monsoon (rainy) season, Sapa, Vietnam, Indochina, Southeast Asia, Asia

CHEYENNE CHIEF, c1910. The Cheyenne chief Two Moons. Photographed by Edward S. Curtis, c1910

Bible and rosary, Le Souillard, Eure, France, Europe

Lady Charles Cavendish aka Adele Astaire
Adele Astaire (1896 - 1981) comedy actress and dance partner of her brother, Fred Astaire from childhood until 1932, when she retired from dance to marry the British aristocrat Lord Charles Spencer

Muslim with prayer beads, Abene, Casamance, Senegal, West Africa, Africa

Masai warrior, Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya, East Africa, Africa

Detail of Nez Perce beadwork of cradle board, Olympia State Capitol Museum, Washingon state, United States of America, North America

Velveteen and glass beads on pouch dating from 1850, of the Coughnawbga Mohawk of the Eastern Woodlands, United States of America, North America

Muslim prayer beads, Brazzaville, Congo, Africa

Girl from Mali with wonderful beads and headdress
Young Soninke Girl from Mali wearing wonderful beads and beaded headdress. The Soninke (also called Sarakole, Seraculeh, or Serahuli)

A Himba woman in traditional attire. Her body gleams from a mixture of red ochre, butterfat and herbs. Her long hair is styled in the traditional Himba way

An old Kikuyu lady picks coffee Taken in the 1960 s, this photograph depicts a traditional form of dress and ear ornaments among Kikuyu women, which has completely disappeared

Sri Lanka - Hindu Ascetic - Incredibly long hair
Sri Lanka - Hindu Ascetic Sadhu with incredibly long hair, worn in thick dreadlocks called jata. Date: circa 1910s

Federico Cattani Amadori (1856-1943). Colored engraving
Federico Cattani Amadori (1856-1943). Italian Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. Secretary of the Apostolic Signatura (1924-1935). Engraving in The Spanish and American Illustration, 1877. Colored

Decorated Christmas tree with toys and food below. Date: circa 1890s

Dorma Leigh in 1920
Dorma Leigh (1890 - ?), British stage performer, appearing here in The Whirligig, at the Palace Theatre, London. 1920

Romanian Women - Traditional costume
A pair of Romanian women, in traditional National costume. A particularly fine example of the highly-decorative embroidery emplyed to decorate the skirts

Shilluk Girl bearing extensive traditional scarfication
A Shilluk Girl bearing extensive traditional facial scarfication and wearing thick wood-block earrings - Upper Nile, Sudan, Africa. Date: circa 1910s

NATIVE AMERICANS / FISHING. Native Americans of the Pacific Northwest catching whitefish in the rapids of the Columbia
NATIVE AMERICANS/FISHING. Native Americans of the Pacific Northwest catching whitefish in the rapids of the Columbia River, Washington Territory. Wood engraving, 1871

Christian Dior dress, 1953
A woman enjoys a glass of champagne while wearing a Christian Dior evening dress of blue silk organza worn over a number of full net underskirts and embroidered with swags of silver bugle beads

Belinda Willis
Top 1960s model Belinda Willis, photographed for London Life magazine by Alan Ballard wearing a multi-layered choker of beads and moody eye makeup

Floella Benjamiyn started a national fashion craze with her plaits and glass beads in June 1976

Production of Gounods Faust by Carl Rosa Opera Company
Characters from Charles Gounods opera Faust in a touring production by the Carl Rosa Opera Company. Seen here are Charles Manners as Bertram, the Irish tenor Barton McGuckin as Faust

Young woman, Ceylon (Sri Lanka). Date: circa 1890s

Easter Egg decorated with beads, folklore, traditional Hungarian

ALASKA: WOMAN AND BASKETS. A Tlingit Native American woman in Yakutat, Alaska, holding a Haida crest hat and a bag on her lap while seated among baskets made by local villagers. Photographed c1900

Flower Power 1967
HIPPIES His and Hers Flower Power outfits at the great Love-In at Woburn Park, Bedfordshire, England. Date: August 1967

A Pokot man wearing typical beaded ornaments of his tribe. The Pokot are pastoralists speaking a Southern Nilotic language. Kenya

Two young Pokot girls wearing traditional ornaments that denote their unmarried status. Their broad belts are made with the metacarpus and metatarsal bones of dikdiks interspersed with beads. Kenya

Almost every Himba woman wears anklets. They comprise strands of homemade metal beads threaded onto leather. Women cover their bodies in red ochre mixed with butterfat

Two Indian women are approached by a bead merchant Date: early 20th century?

Three people in Cowboy and Indian costume in studio photo
Three people in Cowboy and Indian costume in a studio photo -- signed The Three Shentons. Date: circa 1910

Fashionable women in new creations 1913
Women models wearing the latest winter beautifully decorative wraps. 1913

Feather Flapper headband 1912
Woman wearing a flapper style headpiece, with feathers and beaded detail at side. 1912

Africa, Kenya. Msai Tribal Beads

Elderly Jewish Couple - Thessaloniki, Greece Date: circa 1916

A Pokot warrior wearing a cheetah skin jumps high in the air surrounded by young women to celebrate an Atelo ceremony. The Pokot are pastoralists speaking a Southern Nilotic language

Front cover of The Bystander by Rick Elmes
A front cover illustration by Rick Elmes entitled The Minx, depicting an elegant young woman in evening dress, with her fur-trimmed coat falling off her shoulders

Algerian Dancer
An Algerian Belly Dancer - holding aloft her scarf, in an alluring pose

Gilt-edged Security by Elsie Harding
Illustration by Elsie Harding featuring a beautiful and elegant young woman with red hair just visible tying a bandeau style cloche hat in gold colours around her lovely head

Punjabi Muslims - North-west Frontier Province - an area of South Asia spanning from central Pakistan to north-western India

Chinese Mandarin
A Chinese Mandarin in ceremonial court costume

Mourner from the Tomb of Philip the Bold, Duke of Burgundy, 1404-10 (alabaster)
3468199 Mourner from the Tomb of Philip the Bold, Duke of Burgundy, 1404-10 (alabaster) by Werve, Claus de (1380-1439); 41.7x16.6x11.7 cm; Cleveland Museum of Art, OH

The Island King by Percy Gawthorne
Promotional postcard for The Island King by Percy Gawthorne; music Harold Garstin. First produced at the Adelphi Theatre, 10th October 1922. This image shows W. H

Snowflake. Glass beads strung together to form a snowflake shape. This could be used as jewellery. Snowflakes show this hexagonal (six-sided)

Swing High Swing Low by Muriel Dawson
A little girl sits placidly in a baby swing clutching a necklace of brightly coloured beads

All Professionally Made to Order for Quick Shipping

"Beads: Uniting Cultures and Expressing Traditions Across Continents" In the enchanting monsoon season of Sapa, Vietnam, Hmong children seek shelter under an umbrella adorned with vibrant beads. These tiny treasures reflect their rich cultural heritage and add a touch of color to the rainy days in Indochina. At Lourdes, France, visitors flock to witness the awe-inspiring statue in the Grotto embellished with delicate beads. Each bead symbolizes prayers whispered by devoted pilgrims who find solace and hope in this sacred place. Captured through Edward S. Curtis' lens in 1910, Cheyenne Chief Two Moons proudly displays his intricate beadwork. The meticulous craftsmanship reflects his tribe's ancestral traditions and serves as a testament to their resilience amidst adversity. Le Souillard, Eure in France witnesses the harmonious marriage between faith and devotion as a Bible rests beside a rosary delicately strung with beads. This fusion represents unity among believers within Europe's diverse spiritual tapestry. Lady Charles Cavendish, also known as Adele Astaire, epitomizes elegance draped in luxurious velveteen adorned with shimmering glass beads. Her impeccable style transcends time while showcasing how they are enhance one's allure throughout history. In Abene, Casamance region of Senegal, West Africa; prayer becomes tangible as Muslims clutch their prayer beads during moments of deep reflection. These strands serve not only as reminders but also connect them spiritually across continents. Masai warriors from Kenya's Masai Mara National Reserve don beaded jewelry that tells stories of bravery and triumph over adversity. With each colorful strand adorning their bodies like armor, they honor ancient customs passed down through generations. Nez Perce cradle boards displayed at Olympia State Capitol Museum boast exquisite beadwork detailing tales of Native American heritage dating back centuries. Through these meticulously crafted patterns emerges a profound connection to their ancestral roots.