In addition to my supply of micro-beads, I also have larger sizes of glass Czech and Venetian beads, many in 2-cut and 3-cut, which were used on the beautiful beaded flapper bags that you see. Again, the color match is always an issue, but there were many of these beads produced and are still being produced today. If I have exhausted all resources to find a vintage match, I will go ahead and use a newer bead at the approval of the client. The new beads actually blend in very well, and I have often times used a mix of old and new in order to complete a fringe.
The most important aspect of beaded purse repair is the beads. Beaded purses of all shapes, sizes, and colors have been made since early in the 19th century and some even further back than that; therefore, the beads needed to do the repairs are very rare and difficult to obtain.
Finding the right color and size for a particular repair is perhaps the most difficult aspect of what I do. I buy vintage and antique seed beads every chance I get in an effort to bulk up my continually diminishing supply. The purpose of this page is to explain the different types of beads I use in my repairs and available alternatives when an exact match cannot be found.
I use antique beads on all of the micro-beaded bags with size 16/0 beads and smaller, as these tiny micro-beads are no longer produced. The only exception are the size 16/0, which are now being produced out of Czechoslovakia in many of the old colors; This is an absolute godsend in my opinion. If I need to fringe a bag with size 16/0 beads and do not have enough of the antique beads, the new beads allow me the freedom to do it. They look beautiful and only an expert with a trained eye can tell the difference. I will only use them, though, with the approval of the client. I am hoping they will one day produce some of the even smaller sizes......hoping!
