How can I tell the difference between vintage glass beads and plastic?

The easiest way to tell if a bead is glass or plastic is to feel it. Glass beads will be cooler to the touch, whereas plastic beads will be closer to room temperature and warm up quickly in your hands. Another test you can perform is to listen to the sound. Glass has a distinctive ring since it’s harder whereas plastic is softer and has a duller sound. Shop a range of vintage glass bead pieces on 1stDibs.

Vintage African Beads

Lorraine Bijoux

Beaded Sculptures

Nigerian Beaded Chair

South Africa Art Sculpture

Category

Late 20th Century Nigerian Modern Vintage African Beads

African White Beaded Benches/Tables

$675

African Ibibio Beaded Head Masks, Pair

Located in Longdon, Tewkesbury

This fabulous pair of African Ibibio beaded head masks of the Ekpo tribe originate from South East

Category

Late 20th Century Nigerian Vintage African Beads

Materials

Crystal

African Ibibio Beaded Head Masks, Pair

$1,335

White Beaded African Chair from Nigeria

Located in Los Angeles, CA

Nigerian white beaded chair with unique crown detail.

Category

Late 20th Century Nigerian Tribal Vintage African Beads

White Beaded African Chair from Nigeria

$2,500

African Dance Aprons

Located in New York, NY

framed in shadow box, beaded on leather with cowrie shells on ends and leather ties

Category

20th Century Cameroonian Vintage African Beads

Materials

Beads

African Dance Aprons

$1,800

Yuruba Beaded Chairs

Located in St. Helena, CA

Hand beaded African Chief chairs (priced as individual chairs)

Category

20th Century African Vintage African Beads

Yuruba Beaded Chairs

$1,800

Unusually large beaded Yoruba Basket

Located in Stamford, CT

Cloth basket encrusted with colorful old glass trade beads

Category

20th Century African Vintage African Beads

Unusually large beaded Yoruba Basket

$675

Stunning Beaded Chair, Nigeria, result of 1 year, working with 7 shades of colors

Located in Miami, Miami Design District, FL

This chair is much larger than expected the work of one artist who worked on it for one year.

Category

1990s African Primitive Vintage African Beads

Materials

Beads, Canvas

Stunning Beaded Chair, Nigeria, result of 1 year, working with 7 shades of colors

$5,300

White Beaded Nigerian Chair with Crown Top

Located in Los Angeles, CA

White beaded African ceremonial chair from Nigeria, the chair is custom made with the crowned top

Category

20th Century Nigerian Vintage African Beads

Materials

Beads

White Beaded Nigerian Chair with Crown Top

$2,250

Pair of White Beaded Nigerian Chairs with Crown Top

Located in Los Angeles, CA

Pair of white beaded African ceremonial chairs from Nigeria, the chairs are custom made with the

Category

20th Century Nigerian Vintage African Beads

Materials

Beads

Pair of White Beaded Nigerian Chairs with Crown Top

$4,500

set of decorative collars, Pokot, Masai people

Located in Brooklyn, NY

a wonderful set of three African collars, made of reed beads and leather. custom mounted, priced as

Category

20th Century African Vintage African Beads

Materials

Reed, Leather

set of decorative collars, Pokot, Masai people

$800

Purple and White African Beaded Belt

Located in Oakland Park, FL

Purple and white African beaded belt with cowrie shells and backed with red Ikat woven textile

Category

1980s African Tribal Vintage African Beads

Materials

Shell, Beads

Purple and White African Beaded Belt

$255

Red and Tan African Beaded Belt with Soapstone Rosettes

Located in Oakland Park, FL

Red and tan African beaded belt with soapstone rosettes and backed with black textile. Size: 30.5

Category

1980s African Tribal Vintage African Beads

Materials

Soapstone

Red and Tan African Beaded Belt with Soapstone Rosettes

$255

Massive African Beaded Cape Mounted in a Lucite Frame

Located in Paris, ile de france

A Massive african beaded cape mounted in a lucite frame, most of the figures and ornement are

Category

1960s Cameroonian Vintage African Beads

Massive African Beaded Cape Mounted in a Lucite Frame

$2,800

Tony Duquette 1999 Necklace in Box - Antique African and Chinese Beads

By Tony Duquette

Located in Toronto, Ontario

consisting of antique African and Chinese beads set with 24 kt. gold plated sterling silver." Necklace

Category

1990s American Artisan Vintage African Beads

Materials

Sterling Silver

Tony Duquette 1999 Necklace in Box - Antique African and Chinese Beads

$4,500

African Mask, Royal Beaded Elephant

Located in Atlanta, GA

African royal beaded elephant mask - Bameleke Tribe, Cameroon - Fully beaded over wooden base

Category

20th Century Cameroonian Vintage African Beads

Materials

Beads

African Mask, Royal Beaded Elephant

$2,995

A Large Late 20th Century Beaded African Head Sculpture

Located in London, GB

A Large Late 20th Century Beaded African Head Sculpture

Category

Late 20th Century African Vintage African Beads

Materials

Beads

A Large Late 20th Century Beaded African Head Sculpture

$1,400

A Large Late 20th Century Beaded African Head Sculpture

Located in London, GB

A Large Late 20th Century Beaded African Head Sculpture

Category

Late 20th Century African Vintage African Beads

Materials

Beads

A Large Late 20th Century Beaded African Head Sculpture

$1,400

Pair of White Beaded African Lounge Chairs

Located in North Miami, FL

Meticulously assembled by hand in Nigeria using tiny white glass beads over a canvas and wood frame

Category

Late 20th Century Nigerian Tribal Vintage African Beads

Materials

Bamboo, Beads, Canvas

Pair of White Beaded African Lounge Chairs

$2,500

Pair of Large Late 20th Century Beaded African Head Sculptures

Located in London, GB

A Pair of Large Late 20th Century Beaded African Head Sculptures. Bought on a recent trip to

Category

Late 20th Century Vintage African Beads

Pair of Large Late 20th Century Beaded African Head Sculptures

$3,080

African Hand Beaded Chair with Crowned Top from Nigerian Yoruba Tribe

Located in Los Angeles, CA

African hand beaded chair crowned top from Nigerian Yoruba tribe.

Category

1970s Nigerian Vintage African Beads

African Hand Beaded Chair with Crowned Top from Nigerian Yoruba Tribe

$2,500

Red, White and Blue Beaded Artisanal Table Broom

Located in Oakland Park, FL

Red, white and blue beaded artisanal table broom. Seagrass and beads. Size: 10.5' H x 3"W x 1" D.

Category

1990s African Tribal Vintage African Beads

Materials

Beads, Seagrass

Red, White and Blue Beaded Artisanal Table Broom

$55

Hand Woven Ethiopian Beaded Dance Aprons

Located in New York, NY

Two beaded cameroon dance aprons in abstract motifs set in a shadowbox frame. Cameroon, Africa 1940

Category

1940s African Vintage African Beads

Hand Woven Ethiopian Beaded Dance Aprons

$1,800

Vintage Kuba Orange and Black Handwoven Patchwork African Decorative Pillow

By antique textiles galleries

Located in Oakland Park, FL

and appliqué raffia African decorative lumbar pillow with labyrinth pattern and orange beads woven on

Category

1950s African Tribal Vintage African Beads

Materials

Cotton, Beads, Raffia

Vintage Kuba Orange and Black Handwoven Patchwork African Decorative Pillow

$110

Vintage Kuba Orange and Black Handwoven Patchwork African Decorative Pillow

By antique textiles galleries

Located in Oakland Park, FL

and appliqué raffia African decorative lumbar pillow with labyrinth pattern and orange beads woven on

Category

1950s African Tribal Vintage African Beads

Materials

Cotton, Beads, Raffia

Vintage Kuba Orange and Black Handwoven Patchwork African Decorative Pillow

$450

Vintage Kuba Orange and Black Handwoven Patchwork African Decorative Pillow

By antique textiles galleries

Located in Oakland Park, FL

and appliqué raffia African decorative lumbar pillow with labyrinth pattern and orange beads woven on

Category

1950s African Tribal Vintage African Beads

Materials

Cotton, Beads, Raffia

Vintage Kuba Orange and Black Handwoven Patchwork African Decorative Pillow

$450

Vintage Kuba Orange and Black Handwoven Patchwork African Decorative Pillow

By antique textiles galleries

Located in Oakland Park, FL

and appliqué raffia African decorative lumbar pillow with labyrinth pattern and orange beads woven on

Category

1950s African Tribal Vintage African Beads

Materials

Cotton, Beads, Raffia

Vintage Kuba Orange and Black Handwoven Patchwork African Decorative Pillow

$450

Vintage Kuba Orange and Black Handwoven Patchwork African Decorative Pillow

By antique textiles galleries

Located in Oakland Park, FL

and appliqué raffia African decorative lumbar pillow with labyrinth pattern and orange beads woven on

Category

1950s African Tribal Vintage African Beads

Materials

Cotton, Beads, Raffia

Vintage Kuba Orange and Black Handwoven Patchwork African Decorative Pillow

$450

Vintage Kuba Orange and Black Handwoven Patchwork African Decorative Pillow

By antique textiles galleries

Located in Oakland Park, FL

and appliqué raffia African decorative lumbar pillow with labyrinth pattern and orange beads woven on

Category

1950s African Tribal Vintage African Beads

Materials

Cotton, Raffia, Beads

Vintage Kuba Orange and Black Handwoven Patchwork African Decorative Pillow

$450

African Tribal Fine Ba Haya Dance Shield Tanzania Interior design

Located in London, GB

African tribal fine Da Haya Dance A wood dance shield with carved with geometric patterns and

Category

Mid-20th Century Tanzanian Vintage African Beads

Materials

Beads

African Tribal Fine Ba Haya Dance Shield Tanzania Interior design

$814

Pair of Vintage Embroidery African Tribal Lumbar Pillows with Cowries Shells

By Atelier Lam

Located in Oakland Park, FL

applique raffia African artisanal textile decorative lumbar pillows with Cowries shells and wood beads. In

Category

1960s Congolese Tribal Vintage African Beads

Materials

Shell, Cotton, Linen, Beads, Raffia

Pair of Vintage Embroidery African Tribal Lumbar Pillows with Cowries Shells

$750

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Vintage African Beads For Sale on 1stDibs

An assortment of vintage African beads is available at 1stDibs. Each of these unique vintage African beads was constructed with extraordinary care, often using beads, trimming and fabric. Vintage African beads have long been popular, with older editions for sale from the 20th Century and newer versions made as recently as the 20th Century. Vintage African beads bearing Folk Art or Modern hallmarks are very popular at 1stDibs. Many vintage African beads are appealing in their simplicity, but antique textiles galleries, Yoruba People and Atelier Lam produced popular vintage African beads that are worth a look.

How Much are Vintage African Beads?

Prices for vintage African beads start at $55 and top out at $16,500 with the average selling for $1,775.

Questions About Vintage African Beads

How can I tell the difference between vintage glass beads and plastic?
1 Answer
1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022
The easiest way to tell if a bead is glass or plastic is to feel it. Glass beads will be cooler to the touch, whereas plastic beads will be closer to room temperature and warm up quickly in your hands. Another test you can perform is to listen to the sound. Glass has a distinctive ring since it’s harder whereas plastic is softer and has a duller sound. Shop a range of vintage glass bead pieces on 1stDibs.