Carved Pendant Necklace Appraisal

Multi-strand Beaded Necklace with Carved Pendant

This appears to be a long, multi-strand beaded necklace, likely of a bohemian or ethnographic style. Its primary components are beads of varying sizes, shapes, and materials. There are prominent large, smooth, spherical beads, reddish-brown in color, possibly made from wood, seeds, or a natural resin like amber or bakelite, though the latter seems unlikely given the rest of the materials. These large beads are interspersed with smaller, translucent amber-colored glass beads, dark brown or black cylindrical beads, and flat, white, disc-shaped beads, which appear to be bone or shell. The arrangement of these beads creates a visually interesting pattern and texture along the length of the strands. The necklace features a focal pendant, which is a carved, irregular, light-colored object, possibly bone, ivory (less likely due to texture and visible striations), or a synthetic material mimicking these, shaped somewhat like an abstract animal figure or a tooth. This pendant is suspended from one of the beaded strands via a small metal bail and a round, yellowish, flat disc, possibly another type of bead or a spacer. The overall construction appears to be stringed, with visible knots or crimps between some bead sections, indicating a hand-strung piece. There are no visible maker's marks or signatures, suggesting this could be an artisan-made piece or mass-produced costume jewelry of an earlier era. The condition appears good, with no obvious signs of breakage or excessive wear on the beads, though the stringing material's integrity cannot be fully assessed. The white disc beads show some slight irregularities, suggesting natural material or a handmade quality. The piece exhibits a generally earthy and naturalistic aesthetic, consistent with a mid-20th century to contemporary design, emphasizing natural materials and handcrafted techniques. The smaller beads on one strand appear more densely packed, forming almost a flexible chain.