‘This major work is to be welcomed … one of the bibles of the trade … a deeply researched book on which the author is to be congratulated, very well served by its illustrations and beautifully produced’ – Antiques Trade Gazette

‘Has now attained the right to be regarded as the major reference work currently available on all beads and may in fact be the world’s definitive guide for bead lovers, collectors and scholars’ – Jewellery History Today

‘An inspiration ... Beautifully illustrated, much-needed, [a] major work of reference’ – Crafts

‘The definitive work on beads’ – British Jeweller

• The first ever comprehensive history of beads
• Thousands of examples of beads, jewelry and beadwork
• 40,000 years of history from all over the world

From the breathtaking gold designs of ancient Egypt to today’s exciting renaissance of bead craftsmanship, beads have been one of the most popular forms of personal adornment and beads have been used throughout the world in countless ways: as talismans; as status symbols; as religious artefacts; and as a medium of barter.

The History of Beads looks at every conceivable aspect of these fascinating objects, unravelling the mysteries of the world’s rarest beads and exploring the cultural contexts from which beads have come. The historical, geographical and thematic features of beads are examined in the highly enjoyable text and the author discusses every known bead-making technique and the vast range of materials that have been used: precious and semi-precious stones; metals and minerals; shells; bone; wood; amber; coral; glass; lacquer and plastics.

The book also includes technical diagrams; fifteen maps of bead sources and distribution patterns; a bead shape-chart; and a magnificent eight-page fold-out time-line of over 2,000 beads in their cultural and historical contexts.

Lois Sherr Dubin graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a degree in landscape architecture. Her international practice in this field enabled her to travel extensively, during which time she was able to obtain beads from numerous countries. This book is the result of thirty years of study, collecting and lecturing on beads throughout the world.

Also of interest
Beadwork: A World Guide - paperback edition
Costume Jewelry for Haute Couture
Craft Traditions of the World: Locally Made, Globally Inspiring