These beads were described as "not antique but old wedding beads from Mali".

By this time the owner of the kiosk had joined us and I wrote down what he told me so there would be no mistake. The conversation was relaxed, no point in being any other way.

He showed me "proof of provenance" on a page within this book, and I was surprised to see the same sort of "seams" illustrated as appeared on the beads in my hands.

Once again the beads appeared clean and unworn to me.