German Silver Trade Beads

[Hal Gorges]

These came from the Phillips mound, Polk Co Florida...Brought here by early Spanish explorers, German silver is composed of three elements, generally,60% copper, 20% zinc, 20% nickel...It’s noted the holes aren’t round, I’m not sure how they were made, can’t find out much about old ones, I’m hoping someone will know... thanks for lookin.

[gregszybala]

Thanks Hal, had no idea there were German silver trade beads. What you continue to share with us is eye opening.

[Cecilia]

Gosh, Hal, whatever you do, do not break thread! Those teeny tiniest beads ever saw, like fat grains silver sand..... o, wait, thread is wire?… and you got big ole fingers (undoubtedly from hefting round heavy Weeden heads). Think maybe Germans made solid, Spanish whacked holes later? Horse shoe nails got kinda squarish points, and a lot those Pasos conquistadors rode got little (very hard) hooves... nah... will put on research list.

[Hal Gorges]

Please do reasearch, got discouraged with all modern German silver jewelry on internet, threw up hands, gave up, everything went kaput, brain exploded.but will automatically reset.P.S.:, Fingers appear larger in mirror.err, photo.

[paohrocks]

More interesting/neat stuff from Florida, wish I could help you.

[painshill]

Interesting! ‘German Silver’ of course wasn’t just made in Germany. It acquired that name from a competition held in Germany in 1823 to develop a cheap alloy that simulated the appearance of silver. When the goal was achieved and the process spread to other European countries during the 1830s (America too), they dubbed ii ‘German Silver’.

The driver for its development was a material that became known in Europe as ‘paktong’, developed in Canton, China. It was a closely guarded secret and, despite a ban on it being exported, was smuggled into the East Indies and then reached Europe some time around the end of the 16^th Century. Later it was officially exported until the end of the 18^th Century, by which time some German manufacturers had begun to produce their own inferior versions of it, prior to the 1823 competition that resulted in a perfected version.

[Hal Gorges]

Thank you, thank you, thank you.

[willjo]

Interesting Hal have never heard of those either

[Mattern]

Thanks for posting them Hal. I have many beads but never seen or heard of these. Kim

[Tradewater kenny]

Aw man I just learned what German silver and Nevada silver was just an hour ago because I found a old fork..lol and you have a nice example of German...

[Hal Gorges]

Just looked up Nevada, interesting, thx.

[Mailman]

Mr Hal never ceases to intrigue and educate me. Thank you, sir.

[Hal Gorges]

Have to give Roger credit, he’s a walking talking encyclopedia

[tomclark]

Historical Analysis The glass and metal beads from Philip Mound indicate a European origin. The events that determined how the beads came to be at Philip Mound cannot be determined. While early expeditions (e.g .. de Soto) did make forays into the interior, it is unlikely that the inhabitants of this site came into direct contact with the European parties. As was discussed at length in Chapter 3, a likely explanation for how these artifacts came to the interior is through extensive trade networks·between 130 coastal and interior groupshttps://fau.digital.flvc.org/islandora/object/fau%3A12322/datastream/OBJ/view/All_things_new_become_old_again__European_beads_in _southern_Florida_during_the_early_historic_period .pdf

http://palmm.digital.flvc.org/islandora/object/uf%3A29217/datastream/OBJ/view/The_Philip_Mound__A_Historic_Site.pdf

Some related info about Tatham Mound beads, post contact metal disc beadshttps://www.academia.edu/1101984/Early_Sixteenth_Century_Beads_from_the_Tatham_Moun d_Citrus_County_Florida_Data_and_Interpretations

[Hal Gorges]

Thanks Tom, Learnin every day., I sure was late getting back to you, sorry, I don’t like to do that., see ya later....Nice photos, easy to read, and scroll.