I went to Google & ended up at the Met...

I'd seen this bead posted somewhere, thought I'd find out a little more about it...

it was the date that fascinated me,

created somewhere around 500-600 A.D.

So, what else does one do?  I Googled it...

Circular Bead

Culture: Frankish ~  Medium: Glass ~ Dimensions: 1  9/16 x 3/4 in.

and there it was, at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, in New York City.

Now, it's been a long time since I visited there in person and I don't know if  I've ever been to their website,

so what the heck, I   made the big mistake   decided to have a little wander around

and proceeded to type the word BEADED into the search box...

oh heaven help me.

Wait till you see some of the incredible beaded objects I discovered.

  But before I continue on, I want you to know that it's perfectly alright with the Met to share their images like this.  In light of recent copyright discussions here (ahem), and elsewhere amongst friends, 

I made a special point to check this on the Met's 'Terms and Conditions' page.

Clickable links are provided with every image so you can go directly to the Met's collection (and their images enlarge to full screen size - plus a zoom thingey - wow).

We're good to go, and that's really good 

because now I'm gonna show you a few of their amazing pieces of bead antiquity...

Bead Shroud of Tabakenkhonsu

Date: ca. 680-670 B.C. ~ Geography: Egypt, Upper Egypt; Thebes ~ Medium: Blue faience beads

Constructed of tubular faience beads strung together in a net pattern, this shroud was sewn onto the outer wrappings of Tabakenkhonsu's mummy.  Additional beads in various colors have been worked into the garment at several points: a beaded broad collar has been added to the top, where the garment came over the mummy's neck;  over her breast was a winged scarab to protect the heart; and on the abdomen are four "canopic" genii who guarded the viscera.

A very interesting description of "faience" - the oldest artificial substance,

made a millennium before glass was invented -

can be found over here...

Pincushion

Date: mid-19th century ~ Geography: Canada, Quebec ~ Culture: Huron ~ Medium: Silk, wool, glass, moosehair ~ Dimensions: H. 2 1/2 x W. 9 in.

Paddle Doll

Date: ca. 2030-1802 B.C. ~ Geography: Egypt, Upper Egypt; Thebes ~ Medium: Wood, mud, linen string, paint

The so-called paddle doll consists of a flat piece of wood depicting the torso, rudimentary arms and neck of a woman, with a thick shock of "hair" made of beads strung on linen thread.  The body is often painted with jewelry, textile patterns and/or tattoos.  Contrary to their modern name, these "dolls" were not toys... It has been suggested that paddle dolls were an accoutrement of troops of singers and dancers who performed at religious ceremonies associated with the goddess of Hathor.

2,000 years B.C....how can this still exist???

I am in awe.

Men's Beaded Bodice

Date: mid-20th century ~ Culture: African (Dinka peoples) ~ Medium: glass beads, animal skins, wood, cowrie shells

The waist as a zone of decorative focus is not exclusive to women.  The Dinka people of the Sudan are virtually naked, save for their jewelry - necklaces, armlets, bracelets, anklets, and belts - and their beaded vests and corsets.  As each of these items is an explicit indication of age and status, their corsets are of varying scale.  The most heroic, as in this example, extend from the small of the back to a point above the shoulders.

Bodice

Date: 20th century ~ Culture: African (Dinka peoples) ~ Medium: fiber, glass beads, cowrie shell

Bag (Reticule)

Date: 1818-1830 ~ Culture: Mexican ~ Medium: glass, silk ~ Dimensions: 4 3/8 x 1 1/2 in.

Beside the intricate beauty of the hand work, there is an interesting story behind this piece...

as there so often is.  Here is part:

The unusual shape of this early miniature reticule suggests that it served a decorative, rather than functional purpose.  Probably hand knitted, it is part of the Mexican beadwork collection of over 600 pieces assembled by Elizabeth Morrow (1873-1955), mother of writer Anne Morrow Lindbergh, the wife of renowned aviator Charles Lindbergh.  Morrow collected the objects between 1927 and 1930, when her husband, Dwight Morrow, Sr., served as U.S. ambassador to Mexico...

Figure for Osanyin Priest

Date: 19th-20th century ~ Geography: Nigeria ~ Culture: Yoruba peoples ~ Medium: wood, glass beads, cloth, leather, fur, metal, pigment 

Collar

Date: 12th-14th century ~ Geography: Peru ~ Culture: Chimu ~ Medium: Spondylus shell and black stone beads, cotton ~ Dimensions: H. 17 1/2 x W. 15 in.

Bobbin

Date: 19th century ~ Culture: English ~ Medium: bone, metal and beads

There were no dimensions for this one on the Met's website...I wonder about its size.

And would this be a fancy bobbin for lacemaking?

It is divine, whatever the intended use.

: : :

Just a couple more to show you - I feel like a glutton too long at the bead table!

But these next two exquisite textile pieces you must see...

a 1920's bead embroidered silk velvet dress...

Dress, Evening

House of Patou 

Designer: Jean Patou ~ Date: ca. 1924 ~ Culture: France ~ Medium: silk, metallic thread, metal beads

...and this sample embroidery cloth of the same era, attributed to Sarah Lipska, a Polish designer.

Textile, (attributed) Sara Lipska

Date: 1920-29 ~ Culture: French ~ Medium: silk, metal ~ Dimensions: 34 1/2 in.

This object is from a collection of sample embroideries, which was originally owned by Morris de Camp Crawford, editor of Women's Wear Daily, who collected objects which told the story of fashion and fabric history...Lipska is an enigmatic figure, who is known to have worked with Leon Bakst as a set and costume designer for the Ballets Russes, and later in the 1920s as a fashion designer in Paris at 4 rue Belloni, and finally as a sculptor.  Extant examples of her work are rare...

Please treat yourself & view this over at the Met, 

click to enlarge - then zoom in to see her beautiful beaded stitches...

whatever you do, stay away from the search box.

You have been warned.