Hej you all,
I think I started lurking beginning 2010, went through very exciting evenings and nights reading en rereading the archives and after about a year dared to drop a note or 2. But I never got around introducing myself.

I bought my first Venetian beads from an Englishman in Zimbabwe during my teaching period there end 1980’s. I somehow knew about these Venetians , but can’t remember how nor when. I received a Venetian necklace mixed with Krobo beads (I then didn’t know exactly what they were) just before leaving Zimbabwe in 1990 and once back in Belgium my home country, I started buying the Picard books, Dubin’s ‘History of beads’,.. Having embarked on a very time consuming corporate job I never managed to really scrutinize them. More bead books were added but the beads were missing . I got into ethnic jewel and African art collecting and the occasional Venetian strand came along.

An illustration of my bead naivety in the early 90’s: I discovered a little African bead shop in Brussels -that did not last a year unfortunately- . I entered the shop just when they were unpacking big plastic bags and 2 large Venetian chevron necklaces appeared. These beads had always appealed to me. I had the choice between a well balanced degrading strand and a strand with quite big battered chevrons. Both were at the same steep price. I remember I doubted for a long time; there had to be a reason why the battered ones were the same price. They wouldn’t or couldn’t tell me why. In the end I bought the former. It’s only the past years it dawned to me that the battered ones might have been 7 layers!! I didn’t have a clue way back then that 1 layer could make a huge difference.

Travelling throughout W-Africa I now and then bought a bead strand, but it was the bead market of Lomé , mid 90’s that became another memorable moment in my personal bead history . Stall after stall just beads, a whole floor. –unfortunately I did not digitalize our slides yet- If only then I had known the fraction of what I have learned so far, I would’ve stayed there for days on end searching every little nook and cranny! I would have bought different beads and probably quite a lot more. But I made a bead stall owner very happy who turned up in a complete new outfit the day after I had bought beads from him. Which one of the 2 made the best deal still stays an open question!
After Lomé there was a rather bead blank period.

About 8 years ago I got health problems and found some solace in my bead books and the fine bead collection of my friend Karen- she should become a BCN member, I’m working on it- . And by accident I discovered this fantastic forum… It is a unique place where knowledge is being passed on in the most unselfish way. I can’t thank you all enough for your generosity!!

I am including some pictures of the odd strands that came along with our African art collecting, and our travels.
First picture: These are authentic Bakuba (Congo) compositions. The blue with white shell discs are very typical and can be seen on many old Bakuba pictures. They must have made a good deal at the time buying a huge amount of these blue eye like beads .
2nd picture: some necklaces found in Goromgorom N- Burkina Faso. Local compositions- The child’s necklace is actually Ward's ,my husband
At the time I could not identify all the bead origins.