Vintage beads-- help identify

[fel]

I picked up this vintage/antique beaded necklace for all of $15 for a potential restringing project. (By the way it has quite a hideous clasp, with strung beads pasted onto a brass plate.) The beads are translucent, heavy, very light green, cold like stone (not glass). They have some subtle spirals inside, which is easier to see under fluorescent light. Speaking of flourescence, they glow bright green under UV light.

So the question of the day is what are they? When I purchased I thought maybe jade, but that is inconsistent with the fluorescence. I am thinking Chalcedony? Any other thoughts?

First picture is with UV in dark, second picture is blacklight beam on the bottom beads in a lit room, and third picture is normal room lighting.

 

[fel]

On second thought -- maybe it is glass, so called "Uranium glass" or "Vaseline glass"?

 

[marymm]

Prehnite?

 

[stracci2000]

On second thought -- maybe it is glass, so called "Uranium glass" or "Vaseline glass"?

You are correct.
They are very beautiful! What a great find!

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

I picked up this vintage/antique beaded necklace for all of $15 for a potential restringing project. (By the way it has quite a hideous clasp, with strung beads pasted onto a brass plate.) The beads are translucent, heavy, very light green, cold like stone (not glass). They have some subtle spirals inside, which is easier to see under fluorescent light. Speaking of flourescence, they glow bright green under UV light.

So the question of the day is what are they? When I purchased I thought maybe jade, but that is inconsistent with the fluorescence. I am thinking Chalcedony? Any other thoughts?

First picture is with UV in dark, second picture is blacklight beam on the bottom beads in a lit room, and third picture is normal room lighting.

i am rather fasinated with uranium glass
i never knew they made beads in them

 

[fel]

Thanks I am now rather positive they are vaseline glass. I was thrown off because each piece is oddly shaped, they have bulges and aren't uniform. But I guess that is just showing that they are old and were hand blown.

I scraped the old beads off the clasp and now it looks fine too -- probably gold foil over brass. Maybe I put a picture in it and wear it as is...

I just lost the hen that is in my avatar last night, and I am so distressed. Maybe I will put her picture in there.

 

[pearlsngems]

I'm sorry for the loss of your sweet hen! She looks so pretty!

 

[Soseattle]

I'm so sorry about the loss of your girl. It is sad that so many of our animal friends don't live as long as we do. I would love to see a picture of her.

 

[fel]

Rest in peace Cheeto, I loved you so...

 

[Soseattle]

She is beautiful.

 

[stracci2000]

Rest in peace Cheeto, I loved you so...

What a gorgeous bird she was!
I'm so sorry you lost her.

 

[RMOO]

Wow, she really was a beauty! I am so sorry for your loss.
My heart aches from all the beloved pets lost in the last few days.

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

Thanks I am now rather positive they are vaseline glass. I was thrown off because each piece is oddly shaped, they have bulges and aren't uniform. But I guess that is just showing that they are old and were hand blown.

I scraped the old beads off the clasp and now it looks fine too -- probably gold foil over brass. Maybe I put a picture in it and wear it as is...

I just lost the hen that is in my avatar last night, and I am so distressed. Maybe I will put her picture in there.

im so sorry to hera of the loss of chickie Cheeto
she was a beauty and looks like she was overflowing with personality

 

[fel]

im so sorry to hera of the loss of chickie Cheeto
she was a beauty and looks like she was overflowing with personality

You are so right. She marched right up to us and made pterodactyl noises whenever we approached - it was like something out of a dinosaur movie. If we picked her up she was very accepting and cuddly. But she was lowest on the pecking order and I had been very worried about her for some time.

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

You are so right. She marched right up to us and made pterodactyl noises whenever we approached - it was like something out of a dinosaur movie. If we picked her up she was very accepting and cuddly. But she was lowest on the pecking order and I had been very worried about her for some time.

im so sorry
i know how much it hurts