Media Reviews: The History of Beads

The History of Beads
By Lois Sherr Dubin
Published by Abrams Books
Hardback, 396 pages. Price $75

Once in a generation, a book comes along that defines and captures the entire history of an art form. In 1987, that book was The History of Beads by Lois Sherr Dubin. Twenty-two years later, Dubin has repeated her triumph with the totally updated, expanded, and more colorful 2010 edition of the book. The book has been updated throughout, with many of the original images now shown in color.

Most of the changes, however, come at the two ends of the timeline which she has expanded dramatically. The earliest bead documented now dates back 108,000 years ago, not the 30,000 years ago as discussed in the first edition. “The earliest known bead,” she says, “was found at Mt. Carmel in Israel,” and it was worn, she notes; a vital
distinction in determining the role of an artifact. “Piercing a bead is a deliberate act,” she says, “a conscious decision.”

Beads play a crucial role in archeology, she adds. “They are used to trace the origins of human beings from Africa to the Levant to Europe and Asia.”

For contemporary jewelry makers, however, it is the 40-page chapter on contemporary beadmaking at the end of the book that connects their work with that of all the civilizations that preceded them. Dubin has assembled an extensive collection of jewelry by contemporary beadmakers with an emphasis on glass. “Glass beadmaking is the main story of the past 20 years,” she says.” In addition to the work of the glass beadmakers she describes, she includes profiles of jewelers representing the diverse and eclectic approach of today’s artists. These range from Stuart Golder with his fine, high karat woven beads to Jan Yager with her necklace comprising colorful lids from crack vials found in her Philadelphia neighborhood. In between Dubin shows and describes myriad uses of glass beads in the work of a wide variety of beaders including Joyce Scott, Valerie Hector, Virginia Blakelock, and Flora Book.

Strikingly, every piece included in the last chapter includes the name of the maker. If a question arises about intent, in most cases, the jeweler is present to answer them. For the 108,000 years that precede this chapter, we can only guess, assume, and surmise the intention.

–ETTAGALE BLAUER

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