Posts Tagged ‘bead prices’
Chinese Lampwork Beads
Chinese lampwork beads seem like a real bargain at first. You can get so many for such a small price. But are Chinese lampwork beads really a bargain? Let's talk about it.
How the Beads are the Same
In some ways, these Asian glass beads are made just the same as the handmade lampwork beads here are in the States, Canada, Australia, etc. Hot glass is wound on a mandrel, forming a glass bead. The beads are cooled, then removed from the mandrel. Ta-da! A glass bead. So far, so good, right?
How Chinese Lampwork Beads are Different
Not so fast. There are several differences between the Chinese lampwork beads and the handmade lampwork beads made by artisan lampworkers. A quick rundown includes:
- Chinese lampwork beads are mostly made by women and children at low wages. Because it's their livelyhood, the emphasis is on quantity, not quality. (While there are probably exceptions to this rule, I haven't heard of them yet.)
- They are not made as carefully (quantity thing) and very often have rough holes that can cut beading wire.
- The beads are not annealed, which means they are subject to cracking and just plain falling apart. (Here's the post where I talk about why annealing is so important to lampwork beads.)
- The beads are generally not cleaned of the bead release left after removing the beads from the mandrel. This means that the bead release will eventually dust off onto you.
Now you are seeing the differences as to why the Chinese lampwork beads are much less expensive than the handmade lampwork beads made here.
Are Chinese Glass Beads Ever Appropriate?
There are times when these inexpensive glass beads may be appropriate, such as rainy day crafts projects for children. Or for teens who want a quick piece of jewelry then just as quickly discard it. The cracked beads can be made into mosaics.
But if you want jewelry that lasts, or you plan to sell your jewelry creations, you want the well-made artisan glass beads.
Locally, you'll most often find the Chinese lampwork beads at craft stores like Michael's, JoAn, Rag Shop, Hobby Lobby, etc.
The Artisan Beads
Below are some examples of some lovely, properly-made and annealed handmade glass beads. You can also find a .
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 ROA Lampwork 4 Opaque Lime Ruffle Disc Glass Beads SRA  US $5.98
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 JMoore Handmade Glass Lampwork Beads MINI SET MS 395 US $3.55
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 ROA Lampwork 2 Dark Tsp Lime Ruffle Art Disc Beads SRA US $2.49
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 Lampwork Glass Beads Blue 3 Flower Heart Pendant 1pc US $2.99
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 Handmade Lampwork Glass Spacers Beads Ivory US $10.00
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 Lampwork Rectangular Beads Turquoise Round Beads US $9.99
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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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