A SPECIAL LISTING FROM MY OWN PRIVATE COLLECTION : A PRAYER BEAD STRAND MADE OF TESTED ANTIQUE FATURAN — BUTTERSCOTCH AMBER COLOR CALLED MISKEH = LIKE MASTIK GUM
EXTREMELY RARE – HIGHLY PRIZED COLLECTORS’ ITEM
You are presented here with an exceptional antique Prayer Bead Strand made of 33 LARGE OVAL beads + Main bead of perfect FATURAN of butterscotch amber color – usually called MISKEH in the Arab World ( from the Mastic Gum – Mastiha in Greek) .
It tests BAKELITE POSITIVE with the Simichrome test ( see picture) as genuine Faturan and miskeh should test.
Beads are 18 x 13 mm.
Total length with sterling tassel is 45 cm. ———— WEIGHT : 80 grams.
This is a LARGE item.
Extremely nice and smooth when handled.
This strand has been in my private collection for very long years.
Pictures will describe better than anything else this beautiful item and are an intrinsic part of the description
I estimate that the raw material from which this item is carved dates back to the 1930’s and carved in Istanbul from an excellent carver as the carving has a typical Ottoman/Turkish style of slightly elongated oval barrels called ” beyzi.
The tassel is Sterling Silver, entirely hand made.
Everything in this strand makes it special : quality and very attractive color of material, perfect size, balance and very pleasant feeling when used, age and rarity. It is an exceptional and unique collector’s item of museum quality.
This is a very rare and exceptional item that you will greatly enjoy or that would make a fantatstic addition to any collection as it is unique . A royal gift.
It is also a magnificent and rare collector’s item as well as a beautiful strand to handle; it will give its owner renewed pleasure each time he will handle it and listen to the beautiful sound of its beads clicking one on the other . Typical of Faturan is that the more the beads are handled the more beautiful and shiny they appear to be.
Close up pictures are there to testify of the beauty and attraction of this very exceptional item.
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++++ THE TRUTH ABOUT FATURAN ++++
The “legend” of AMBER-FATURAN defines it as follows : “a mixture of natural amber, resins and incense.The technique of sticking together the shavings of amber together with a mixture of secret natural resins and incense to turn it into a solid material is unknown until today, This method was invented by an Arab named Faturan, in the XIXth century and the material carried his name ever since”.
However the true story is that the material named Faturan is a derivative of BAKELITE which was developed in 1907-1909 by the Belgian chemist Dr. Leo Baekeland.
Bakelite is basically a thermosetting phenol formaldehyde synthetic resin
The bead carvers, mainly in Turkey, were swift to understand that Bakelite was a material that could be well carved, had a great appearance and could imitate and replace amber. They started making their own material mixing it with dyes, natural, vegetal or synthetic, amber powder, various fillers and additives, etc Each master also had his secret “recipe”, even heating in various liquids and oils and making it undergo various physical or chemical processes to obtain the most beautiful aspect.
The original Faturan beads were mainly red or yellow in all its shades.
The last Faturan beads were made in 1940 mainly due to the 2nd World War when the supply of raw material became very scarce.
Today, there is a very big confusion in the use of the word Faturan and about its meaning to the extent that practically any type of phenolic resin is called Faturan, even those produced nowadays.
The original pre 1940 Faturan is extremely rare and intact prayer bead strands made from one single type of material are considered museum items.
My selling principle is :
“SATISFACTION OR REFUND ” AND IT APPLIES 100 %.
I am ready to refund in totality any item sold by me if you are not fully satisfied with your purchase
NO QUESTIONS ASKED – NO CONDITIONS
BID WITH COMPLETE CONFIDENCE
