The African Market Collection
A collection of unique pieces designed around beads and elements all purchased in the lively markets of Africa, starting in the 1970s, where many of the beads available then are now rare collectors’ items.
Those beads were locally handmade, or formed part of the Bead trade, from the Islamic world in Medieval time and later on from Europe, as part of the West African and later on Colonial trade. The pieces include glass, metal, seeds and organic elements.
Each piece is unique, and the collection limited to 50 numbered pieces.
This collection was commissioned by the Museum shop of the Smithsonian African Museum, in Washington DC.
La collection « Marchés d'Afrique »
Des pièces uniques rassemblant des perles modernes, traditionnelles et anciennes, chinées avec amour, plaisirs et force palabres, sur les marchés d’Afrique de l’Ouest et d’Afrique Centrale depuis les années 1970. De nombreuses pièces sont depuis désormais introuvables sont devenues des éléments pour collectionneurs.
Cette collection a été créé pour la boutique du Musée d’Art Africain du « Smithsonian Institute » à Washington, DC, USA. La collection est limitée à 50 pièces uniques et numérotées.
AM 1 : LI
Pear-shaped orange beads : from Gablontz, Bohemia, specifically for the African trade, from the 1830s to the 1940s. Called "Birnel" or pears, they were highly prized by Peul women in Mali where they were often part of the dowry. As a result they are also known as "Perles de Marriage" or wedding beads. They would then be used by their owner as a form of currency. Bamako Market, Mali.
Small tubular terra cotta beads : such beads used to be available in large quantities in West African Markets in the 1990s but are now rare. Bead sellers always said they were found in the Niger River and bead collectors believe that they were manufactured in large quantities during the Mali Empire, 9th -14th century. Dakar Market, Senegal.
Yellow ceramic beads & orange seed beads : modern, probably from China.
AM 7 :
Shell : from Nouakchott beach, Mauritania.
Terra cotta pendant: Unknown artist - modern Mounted on a leather string.
AM 10 :
Toric bead : Modern recycled glass from a Ghanaian workshop. Accra Market.
AM 8 :
Pear-shaped blue beads : from Gablontz, Bohemia, specifically for the African trade, from the 1830s to the 1940s. Called "Birnel" or pears, they were highly prized by Peul women in Mali where they were often part of the dowry. As a result they are also known as "Perles de Marriage" or wedding beads. They would then be used by their owner as a form of currency. Bamako Market, Mali.
Dark Blue ring-shaped beads: late 19th-early 20th century, Workshops in Germany. Goree Island Market, Senegal.
Translucent tubular blue beads: called "Perles d’Aigri", these beads take a greenish tinge when held against the light. Some authors attribute such beads to the workshops of 19th century Germany, others believe they are much older Venetian beads reworked locally.
Collected in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
AM 15 :
Central Beads : Both are from Murano, the transparent and golden one is modern while the tubular one, called "Millefiori" would have been imported in exchange for gold, ivory, slaves, animal skins…. Huge quantities of millefiori beads were made and exported to West Africa in the 19th Century and until the early 20th century. They were very abundant in all markets in the 1970s but have become rare collectors items and similar "millefiori" beads are now made in India and exported, again,to West Africa. This millefiori was purchased in the Treichville Market in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, and the modern one in Venice.
Small striated yellow beads : 19th century Venetian beads. Bamako Market, Mali.
Small tubular terra cotta beads : such beads used to be available in large quantities in West African Markets in the 1990s but are now rare. Bead sellers always said they were found in the Niger River and bead collectors believe that they were manufactured in large quantities during the Mali Empire, 9th -14th century. Dakar Market, Senegal.
Star and disk shaped pale yellow beads : Beads from Gablontz, Bohemia, specifically for the African trade, from the 1830s to the 1940s. Bamako Market, Mali.
Dark Blue ring-shaped beads : late 19th-early 20th century, Workshops in Germany. Goree Island Market, Senegal.
Bronze disk: lost wax technique, traditional "Ashanti" motif, from the Ghana Empire. Mid-20th Century. Cocody Market, Abidjan, Ivory Coast.
AM 14 :
Central piece : a polished and pierced shell, used as a hair ornament by Mauritanian women. Probably early to mid 20th century. Nouakchott Market, Mauritania.
Red "Elbow" glass beads : from Gablontz, Bohemia, specifically for the African trade, from the 1830s to the 1940s. Bamako Market, Mali.
Coconut disks : modern, Nouakchott, Dakar and Bamako markets.
AM 26 : GI
Translucid, striped green glass beads : made in Gablontz, Bohemia from the 19th to early 20th century. Such beads were made specifically for the Weast African maritime trade and were, inter alia, exchanged for ivory, ostrich feathers and animal skins. Highly prized by Peul women in the Sahel, they were often part of the dowry and are also known as "Perles de Marriage" or wedding beads. Such beads used to be readily found in markets in Bamako (Mali) and Dakar (Senegal), but are now rare. As the design remains popular, modern Indian copies now flood the markets.
Spherical black stone beads : modern from China. Lagos Market, Nigeria.
Small irregular opaque green beads : locally made; modern. Accra Market, Ghana.
Small black beads : modern from China or India. Known as seed beads. Dakar Market, Senegal.
AM 17 :
Modern beads : Hand made beads, from recycled glass, and orange tubular beads from Accra Market, Ghana.
Seeds beads : small blue beads from India or China, Dakar Markets.
Coconut Disks : from Dakar Markets.
AM 24 :
Antique terra cotta beads: probably from the Djenne Djenno civilisation, 5th century CE. Once common in all West African markets where merchants said they were "found in the River Niger". They are now very rare and hardly ever seen on market stands. Bamako Market, Mali.
Fish-shaped bronze pendant : traditional Ashanti design; lost wax technique, mid-20th century. Abidjan Market, Ivory Coast.
Tubular bronze beads : lost wax technique; early to mid-20th century. Lagos Market, Nigeria.
Brown glass beads : locally made from recycled beer bottles; 20th century. Accra Market, Ghana.
Black beads with silver band : locally made; 20th century. Nouakchott Market, Mauritania.
Seed bead : Dakar Market, Senegal.
AM 21 :
Brown and black seeds : from Senegal.
Round black seeds are used as prayers beads, Togo.
Red plastic disks : Ghana.
Glass beads : made from recycled glass, hand painted, Ghana.
Pottery bead : from Lagos Markets, Nigeria.
AM 29 : AB
Leather strings, painted cattle horn from Zanzibar.
Vegetal ivory from Madagascar.
All modern elements.
AM 32 :
Seeds : From the Markets of Yaounde, Cameroon.
Red "Elbow" glass beads : from Gablontz, Bohemia, specifically for the African trade, from the 1830s to the 1940s. Bamako Market, Mali.
Central elements : beads made with a paste of spices, eucalyptus seeds, and a rusted iron element, likely to have been used as money in the 19th century and forged from iron bars, imported as part of the European trade to West Africa. Lagos Market, Nigeria.
AM 39 : AB
Painted Cattle horn from Zanzibar.
Lapis lazulli stones from Afganistan, Nairobi Market, Kenya.
All modern elements.
AM 4 :
Central piece : brown jade from the Hong Kong Antique Market.
Coconut disks and black seeds : from Dakar Market, Senegal.
Small tubular terra cotta beads: these beads were available in large quantities in West African Markets in the 1990s but are now rare. Bead sellers always said they were found in the Niger River and bead collectors believe that they were made during the Mali Empire, 9th -14th century. Dakar Market, Senegal.
Tubular white quartz beads: Neolithic beads found in Bamako Market.
AM 5 : UI
White ring-shaped beads : these were produced specifically for the African trade in Bohemian workshops from the 19th to the early 20th century. From markets in Mali.
Dark red beads : imitation bauxite glass beads. Probably from a Murano workshop. 19th to early 20th century. From markets in Mali.
Small orange glass beads : modern Indian and Italian beads. Dakar Market, Senegal.
AM 9 : TII
Two elements in bronze : lost wax technique. The spherical one is modern while the tubular one is probabley early 20th century. Both were collected in a Lagos Market, Nigeria.
Orange and green glass beads : from Gablontz, Bohemia, specifically for the African trade, from the 1830s to the 1940s. Called "Birnel" or pears, they were highly prized by Peul women in Mali where they were often part of the dowry. As a result they are also known as "Perles de Marriage" or wedding beads. They would then be used by their owner as a form of currency. Bamako Market, Mali.
AM 12: TBI
Yellow and Green triangular glass beads : from Gablontz, Bohemia, specifically for the African trade, from the 1830s to the 1940s. They were highly prized by Peul women in Mali where they were often part of the dowry. As a result they are also known as "Perles de Marriage" or wedding beads. They would then be used by their owner as a form of currency. Bamako Market, Mali.
Large Orange beads : Also from the Gablontz workshops. Lagos Market, Nigeria.
Small flat Orange beads : probably from early 20th century, dutch or workshops in Germany. Dakar Market, Senegal.
AM 19 :
Antique pottery beads, small pale blue Nila weathered glass beads: all probably from the Djenne Djenno civilisation - 5th Century CE- Bamako Market, Mali.
Bronze pendant : lost wax technique, mid 20th century, Ouagadougou Market, Burkina Faso.
Long blue glass beads : made in Ghana, from reworked venitian beads, 19th Century
Green ceramic beads : probably early 20th Century, made in Bohemia, for the Africa bead trade, all from Dakar Markets, Senegal.
Round copper beads at the end are modern , from the Douala Market, Cameroon.
AM 37 :
Central pendant : Modern lost wax technique, traditional ashanti design, Abidjan Market, Ivory Coast.
Opaque white glass beads : 19th century beads, likely to be from Gablontz, Bohemia, manufactured specifically for the West African trade. Dakar Market, Senegal.
Translucent ringlet beads : 19th century beads, manufactured in Italy or Holland. Lagos Market, Nigeria.
AM 30 : SGI
Dark blue, teardrop-shaped beads : made in Gablontz, Bohemia, in the 19th century, for the African bead trade. Highly prized by Peul women in Mali they were often part of the dowry and are often still referred to as "Wedding Beads". They would then be used by its owner as a currency. Bamako Market, Mali.
Red-brown triangular glass beads : another model from Gablontz. Bamako Market, Mali.
Antique coral : late 19th-early 20th century, from the Red Sea. Transported through the Sahara Desert by camel caravans.
Seed beeds and coconut discs : modern from Dakar Market, Senegal.
Small blue beads : modern, from China or India. Dakar Market.
AM 50 : STI
Central pendant : Vintage Masai ring, traditionally used to draw blood from their cattle. Sourced in the markets of Nairobi.
The pottery bead above the pendant is a vintage spinning whorl from Mauritania.
The coconuts disks are from the Markets in Dakar, Senegal.
The necklace is mounted on a leather string, hand made by artisans working along the Niger River, Mali.
AM 43: SBI
Central Beads: All are from Murano, the transparent striped one is modern while the tubular ones, called “ Millefiori” would have been imported in exchange for gold, ivory, slaves, animal skins…. Huge quantities of millefiori beads were made and exported to West Africa from the 18th Century to early 20th century. They were very abundant in all markets in the 1970s but have become rare collectors items and similar “millefiori” beads are now made in India and exported,to West Africa. These tubular millefiori were purchased in the Treichville Market in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, and the modern one in Venice.
Teardrop shaped glass beads: from Gablontz, Bohemia, also part of the 18th century bead trade. Bought in Bamako Market.
Red bauxite beads: modern, Dakar Market, Senegal.
Tubular copper beads: modern, with traditional Ashanti design, Abidjan Cocody Market, Ivory Coast.
AM 31: TII
Pear-shaped beads : from Gablontz, Bohemia, specifically for the African trade, from the 1830s to the 1940s. Called "Birnel" or pears, they were highly prized by Peul women in Mali where they were often part of the dowry. As a result they are also known as "Perles de Marriage" or wedding beads. They would then be used by their owner as a form of currency. Bamako Market, Mali.
AM 40 :
Pear-shaped beads : from Gablontz, Bohemia, specifically for the African trade, from the 1830s to the 1940s. Called "Birnel" or pears, they were highly prized by Peul women in Mali and were often part of the dowry. As a result they are also known as "Perles de Marriage" or wedding beads. Bamako Market, Mali.
White glass beads modern.Feathers from a Pet parrot, Dakar.
Cooconut discs : modern, from Ghana.
AM 47: STI
Millefiori Glass beads : Millefiori beads were imported in the 18th or 19th century to exchange for gold, ivory, slaves, animal skins… The technique of Millefiori beads was already known in the 3rd Century BC, and they are still made in Murano today. Huge quantities of millefiori beads were made and exported to West Africa from the 19th Century until the early 20th century. They were very abundant in all markets in the 1970s and have now become rare collectors items. Similar "millefiori" beads are now made in India and exported, again to the West African markets. These millefioris were purchased in the Treichville Market of Abidjan, Ivory Coas.
AM 2 :
Modern beads : Hand made beads, from recycled glass, Coconut Disks, all from Accra Market, Ghana.
Feathers : from a Pet parrot, Dakar.
AM 3: GI
Yellow and blue painted bead : Modern pottery spindle, Korhogo Market, Ivory Coast.
Dark Blue ring shaped beads : late 19th-early 20th century from workshops in Germany. Goree Island Market, Senegal.
Disk shaped pale yellow beads : Beads from Gablontz, Bohemia, specifically for the African trade, from the 1830s to the 1940s. Bamako Market, Mali.
Small tubular terra cotta beads : these beads were available in large quantities in West African Markets in the 1990s but are now rare. Bead sellers always said they were found in the Niger River and bead collectors believe that they were made during the Mali Empire, 9th -14th century. Dakar Market, Senegal.
Pear Shaped blue beads : also from Gablontz, Bohemia, specifically for the African trade, from the 1830s to the 1940s. Called "Birnel" or pears, they were highly prized by Peul women in Mali where they were often part of the dowry. As a result they are also known as "Perles de Marriage" or wedding beads. They would then be used by their owner as a form of currency. Bamako Market, Mali.
AM 6 :
Yellow Glass beads : from Gablontz, Bohemia, specifically for the African trade, from the 1830s to the 1940s. They were highly prized by Peul women in Mali where they were often part of the dowry. As a result they are also known as "Perles de Marriage" or wedding beads. They would then be used by their owner as a form of currency. Bamako Market, Mali.
Transparent ring-shaped beads: late 19th-early 20th century, Workshops in Germany. Goree Island Market, Senegal . Such transparent beads are often found in buried potteries in senegalese villages and show traces of weathering due to such burial.
The necklace is mounted on a yellow leather string.
AM 13 :
Central piece : Silver Ottoman scabbard band from Istanbul. These were traded by Arab merchants and were brought either to West Africa by camel via the Silk Road and then through the Sahara or to East Africa by dhow and then across the continent.
Small coffee coloured seeds : from Senegal
Agate beads : made in Cambay City, India over many centuries. They were first mentioned in European travel literature by Pires (1516). They were exported in Medieval Islamic times (12th to 14th centuries) via several trade routes: a) carried by sea to the East African coast by Arab traders and then overland to West Africa; b) by sea to Lisbon and the re-exported to West Africa; and c) by Silk ROad caravans through Eastern Asia, Yemen, the Middle East and the Sahara to West Africa. Nouakchott Market, Mauritania.
Mounted on a skein of small modern Indian glass beads and cotton.
The "clasp" is a vintage Indian coin inscribed "George V King and Emperor".
AM 23 :
Cone Pottery beads : from the Lagos Markets, Nigeria.
Black Pottery bead : Niamey Market, Niger.
Stone beads : likely to be indian medieval beads, part of the Islamic trade, Niamey Market, Niger.
Coconut disks : Dakar Markets, Senegal.
Eucalyptus seeds: Lagos Market, Nigeria.
Mounted on a leather cord, from Malian workshops located along the Niger river.
AM 16 : TII
Terra cotta disks, thought to have been used in fishing nets, neolithic, bought in Nouakchott market, Mauritania.
Chunks of Tourmaline.
AM 28 : TII
Multicoloured beads : Original Kiffa beads handmade from powdered glass, fired in small charcoal stove by Mauritanian women in Kiffa. Early 20th century, from Nouakchott Market. Many industrial copies, from India, are now available in Mauritania markets as they are very popular and there only few women still possess the traditional skills for making Kiffa Beads.
Orange beads & Red beads : Modern glass bead, most likely from India, Dakar Market, Senegal.
AM 20 :
Seeds : Dakar Markets, Senegal.
Glass beads : made in Gablontz, Bohemia, in the 19th century, for the African bead trade. Such beads were highly prized by Peul women in Mali where they were often part of the dowry and are often still referred to as "Wedding Beads". They would then be used by its owner as a currency. The central opaque blue bead, also from Gablontz was found in a Lagos market, Nigeria while the other were purchased in the Bamako market. These antique beads, once easy to find are now rare and modern copies from India are now found in abundance in African markets.
Round copper beads at the end are modern, from the Douala Market, Cameroon.
AM 46: AI
Multi color glass beads : made in Gablontz, Bohemia from the 19th to early 20th century. Such beads were made specifically for the Weast African maritime trade and were, inter alia, exchanged for ivory, ostrich feathers and animal skins. Highly prized by Peul women in the Sahel, they were often part of the dowry and are also known as "Perles de Marriage" or wedding beads. Such beads used to be readily found in markets in Bamako (Mali) and Dakar (Senegal), but are now rare. As the design remains popular, modern Indian copies now flood the markets.
Black wood & Silver thread: Modern traditional design from Nouakchott Market (Mauritania).
Honey Colored Round Beads : From recycled beer bottles, Accra Market (Ghana).
Black and Brown seeds Dakar Market (Senegal).
AM 25 : UI
Red glass beads : made in Gablontz, Bohemia, from the 19th to early 20th century. Such beads were made specifically for the Weast African maritime trade and were, inter alia, exchanged for ivory, ostrich feathers and animal skins. Sourced in Dakar Market, Senegal.
Tubular bronze beads : traditional Ashanti design; lost wax technique, mid-20th century. Lagos Market, Nigeria.
Small bronze cubes : locally made; late 20th century. Douala Market, Cameroon.
Thin black disks : modern in coconut shell and plastic. Bamako Market, Mali.
AM 38 : SNI
Colonial glass beads : Manufactured in Gablontz, Bohemia, from the mid 1800s to the early 20th century exclusively for the West African maritime trade. They were exchanged, inter alia, for ivory, ostrich feathers and animal skins. Bamako Market, Moli.
Stone neolothic beads : Maurinatian deserts.
White agatha cylindric beads : Medieval Indian , bought to east africa by Arab merchants sailing east. Nairobi markets.
AM 44 :
Pottery Pendant : likely to be medieval , probably used as a money, Djamena Market, Tchad.
AM 48: SBI
Triangle and pear shaped glass beads : made in Gablontz, Bohemia from the 19th to early 20th century. Such beads were made specifically for the Weast African maritime trade and were, inter alia, exchanged for ivory, ostrich feathers and animal skins. Highly prized by Peul women in the Sahel, they were often part of the dowry and are also known as "Perles de Marriage" or wedding beads. Such beads used to be readily found in markets in Bamako (Mali) and Dakar (Senegal), but are now rare. As the design remains popular, modern Indian copies now flood the markets.
White opaque Glass Cylinders :Similar white beads, cased in clear glass are listed as "Galets Blancs" in the inventory of an 18th century ship headed for the coast of Senegambia. Dakar Market, Senegal.They were most likely manufactured Gablontz, Bohemia.
Modern blue Seed beads : Bamako Market, Mali.