Peking Glass Beads~                click on image for larger view

	Peking Glass, 18c. Wonderful pink lozenges with eyes, these are getting harder to find. ¾" long.  PGB02  $75 each		Peking Glass, China 19c. We call these 'Leopard' beads, even though they're green. With spots. PGB10   $6.00 each
	New (affordable) version of the old pink beads, also in white. PGB09  $10 each		Peking Glass, 19c. 10mm Crumb beads, multicolored PGB05  $120/str.

Glass bead making in china dates back some 18,000 years. First used as a substitute for the more costly jade an other precious stones, by the time of the  Qing Dynasty (1644-1912AD),  glass bead making had developed into a mature industry and beads began to travel the world  as "Peking" glass.

Of the older examples shown here, most are from the mid 1800's.  The 'court lady' beads come from the period of Manchurian rule when sumptuary laws dictated exactly what could and could not be worn as apparel and  ornamentation, based on social and political rank. (It has been suggested that these beads were worn by the emperor's concubines).  We also have some newer beads from the earlier part of this century.

Here at Tiger we will always tell you what we believe to be true about a bead. Mail order beads are always sent "on approval" and we will cheerfully refund  your money at any time if you suspect the bead to be other than represented.