Handmade Lampwork Beads – Prices
Now that you know something about artisan handmade lampwork beads, what about prices? Sure, they are more than the mass-produced kind, but what can you expect, price-wise. Let's take a look.
And the Price Is...
I mentioned in the artisan bead post that I've seen a single bead sell for over $100. I also mentioned that most artisan beads are nowhere near that in price! That being the case, what can you expect? Let's go by bead type.
- Focal beads are generally larger than 20mm in size, which just about 7/8 of an inch. The average focal is between 25mm and 40mm. An artisan focal bead can easily go for over $100, but in general the price is between $20 and $50.
- Bead sets are made of (on average) 7 to 9 beads, but can be fewer or more. The beads can be round or in different shapes such as pillows, lentils, squares, flowers and even more shapes! Beads in sets are smaller, and tend to be between 10 and 18mm in size (naturally there are always exceptions). I've seen artisan bead sets go for over $2,000 but a more average price is between $3 and $10 per bead. So a 7-bead artisan set could cost anywhere from $21 to $70 on average.
Naturally, prices depend on the skill of the artist and the complexity of the bead. Expect to pay more for a well-known bead artist, as well as for very complex beads.
FYI, small plain round spacers (single color) tend to go for between 50 cents and $1 per bead.
Should You Buy 99 Cent Beads?
What about the $1 beads that can be found on the ebay auction site? Some bead artists start their auctions at low prices, like 99 cents, to encourage bidding. Sometimes the beads aren't bid up very much, especially for a bead artist new to ebay.
If you see an auction with a very low price that looks interesting, please read the auction details to make sure the seller is a self-representing artist. Also look for the words kiln annealed.
Yes, there are bargains to be had. Just don't pay artisan bead prices for non-artisan beads. And buy appropriately for your project. "Fun" jewelry doesn't need expensive lampwork. Heirloom-quality jewelry shouldn't use production-made lampwork.
And if you have any questions, just ask the buyer directly.
Artisan Bead Examples
One thing that continues to amaze me are the figural beads that I see on ebay. Below you can see some beads made in the form of fish that are truely awe-inspiring. But of you want more than just fish, here's a link to .
As always, click the link to see larger photos and to get more information. Have fun!
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