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Prosser Beads

  • Green Vintage Prosser Button Beads (9mm, Long Strand) - The Bead Chest
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    $49.00 - $49.00
    $49.00
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    $49.00

    Green Vintage Prosser Button Beads (9mm, Long Strand)

    Out of stock

    Sliced Prosser Beads, otherwise known as button beads, get their name from their unique shape. These beads originated in the former Czechoslovakia ...

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    $49.00 - $49.00
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  • Red Shell-Shaped Kakamba Prosser Beads - The Bead Chest
    $59.00 - $59.00
    $59.00
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    $59.00 - $59.00
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    Red Shell-Shaped Kakamba Prosser Beads

    in stock

    Admire this rare strand of prosser beads! From the "kakamba" family of beads, these vintage Czech trade beads are exceedingly hard to find in this ...

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    $59.00 - $59.00
    $59.00
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  • Vintage Kakamba Prosser Beads (6-7mm) #12674 - The Bead Chest
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    $24.50 - $24.50
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    Vintage Kakamba Prosser Beads (6-7mm) #12674

    Out of stock

    The unique look of kakamba beads is easily recognized among the beads of Africa. Originally produced in former Czechoslovakia, these beads are made...

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    $24.50 - $24.50
    $24.50
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    $24.50
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  • Vintage Kakamba Prosser Beads (6-7mm) #12673 - The Bead Chest
    $24.50 - $24.50
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    Vintage Kakamba Prosser Beads (6-7mm) #12673

    Only 1 left!

    The unique look of kakamba beads is easily recognized among the beads of Africa. Originally produced in former Czechoslovakia, these beads are made...

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    $24.50 - $24.50
    $24.50
    $24.50
    $24.50 - $24.50
    $24.50
  • Vintage Kakamba Prosser Beads (6-7mm) #12670 - The Bead Chest
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    $24.50 - $24.50
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    Vintage Kakamba Prosser Beads (6-7mm) #12670

    Out of stock

    The unique look of kakamba beads is easily recognized among the beads of Africa. Originally produced in former Czechoslovakia, these beads are made...

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    $24.50 - $24.50
    $24.50
    $24.50
    $24.50 - $24.50
    $24.50
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  • Vintage Kakamba Prosser Beads (6-7mm) #12663 - The Bead Chest
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    $24.50 - $24.50
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    Vintage Kakamba Prosser Beads (6-7mm) #12663

    Out of stock

    The unique look of kakamba beads is easily recognized among the beads of Africa. Originally produced in former Czechoslovakia, these beads are made...

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    $24.50 - $24.50
    $24.50
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    $24.50 - $24.50
    $24.50
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  • Vintage Kakamba Prosser Beads (6-7mm) #12661 - The Bead Chest
    $24.50 - $24.50
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    $24.50

    Vintage Kakamba Prosser Beads (6-7mm) #12661

    Only 1 left!

    The unique look of kakamba beads is easily recognized among the beads of Africa. Originally produced in former Czechoslovakia, these beads are made...

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    $24.50 - $24.50
    $24.50
    $24.50
    $24.50 - $24.50
    $24.50
  • Vintage Kakamba Prosser Beads (6-7mm) #12659 - The Bead Chest
    $24.50 - $24.50
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    Vintage Kakamba Prosser Beads (6-7mm) #12659

    Only 1 left!

    The unique look of kakamba beads is easily recognized among the beads of Africa. Originally produced in former Czechoslovakia, these beads are made...

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    $24.50 - $24.50
    $24.50
    $24.50
    $24.50 - $24.50
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  • Vintage Kakamba Prosser Beads (6-7mm) #12657 - The Bead Chest
    $24.50 - $24.50
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    Vintage Kakamba Prosser Beads (6-7mm) #12657

    Only 1 left!

    The unique look of kakamba beads is easily recognized among the beads of Africa. Originally produced in former Czechoslovakia, these beads are made...

    View full details
    $24.50 - $24.50
    $24.50
    $24.50
    $24.50 - $24.50
    $24.50
  • Vintage Kakamba Prosser Beads (6-7mm) #12656 - The Bead Chest
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    $24.50 - $24.50
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    Vintage Kakamba Prosser Beads (6-7mm) #12656

    Out of stock

    The unique look of kakamba beads is easily recognized among the beads of Africa. Originally produced in former Czechoslovakia, these beads are made...

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    $24.50 - $24.50
    $24.50
    $24.50
    $24.50 - $24.50
    $24.50
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  • Vintage Kakamba Prosser Beads (6-7mm) #12655 - The Bead Chest
    $24.50 - $24.50
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    $24.50

    Vintage Kakamba Prosser Beads (6-7mm) #12655

    Only 1 left!

    The unique look of kakamba beads is easily recognized among the beads of Africa. Originally produced in former Czechoslovakia, these beads are made...

    View full details
    $24.50 - $24.50
    $24.50
    $24.50
    $24.50 - $24.50
    $24.50
  • Vintage Kakamba Prosser Beads (6-7mm) #12653 - The Bead Chest
    $24.50 - $24.50
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    Vintage Kakamba Prosser Beads (6-7mm) #12653

    Only 1 left!

    The unique look of kakamba beads is easily recognized among the beads of Africa. Originally produced in former Czechoslovakia, these beads are made...

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    $24.50 - $24.50
    $24.50
    $24.50
    $24.50 - $24.50
    $24.50
  • Vintage Kakamba Prosser Beads (6-7mm) #12651 - The Bead Chest
    $24.50 - $24.50
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    $24.50

    Vintage Kakamba Prosser Beads (6-7mm) #12651

    Only 1 left!

    The unique look of kakamba beads is easily recognized among the beads of Africa. Originally produced in former Czechoslovakia, these beads are made...

    View full details
    $24.50 - $24.50
    $24.50
    $24.50
    $24.50 - $24.50
    $24.50
  • Vintage Kakamba Prosser Beads (6-7mm) #12648 - The Bead Chest
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    Vintage Kakamba Prosser Beads (6-7mm) #12648

    Out of stock

    The unique look of kakamba beads is easily recognized among the beads of Africa. Originally produced in former Czechoslovakia, these beads are made...

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    $24.50 - $24.50
    $24.50
    $24.50
    $24.50 - $24.50
    $24.50
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  • Vintage Kakamba Prosser Beads (6-7mm) #12646 - The Bead Chest
    $39.00 - $39.00
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    $39.00

    Vintage Kakamba Prosser Beads (6-7mm) #12646

    Only 1 left!

    The unique look of kakamba beads is easily recognized among the beads of Africa. Originally produced in former Czechoslovakia, these beads are made...

    View full details
    $39.00 - $39.00
    $39.00
    $39.00
    $39.00 - $39.00
    $39.00
  • Vintage Kakamba Prosser Beads (6-7mm) #12645 - The Bead Chest
    $24.50 - $24.50
    $24.50
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    $24.50 - $24.50
    $24.50

    Vintage Kakamba Prosser Beads (6-7mm) #12645

    Only 1 left!

    The unique look of kakamba beads is easily recognized among the beads of Africa. Originally produced in former Czechoslovakia, these beads are made...

    View full details
    $24.50 - $24.50
    $24.50
    $24.50
    $24.50 - $24.50
    $24.50
  • Vintage Kakamba Prosser Beads (7-9mm) #12716 - The Bead Chest
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    Vintage Kakamba Prosser Beads (7-9mm) #12716

    Out of stock

    The unique look of kakamba beads is easily recognized among the beads of Africa. Originally produced in former Czechoslovakia, these beads are made...

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    $24.50 - $24.50
    $24.50
    $24.50
    $24.50 - $24.50
    $24.50
    Sold out
  • Vintage Kakamba Prosser Beads (7-9mm) #12715 - The Bead Chest
    $24.50 - $24.50
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    $24.50

    Vintage Kakamba Prosser Beads (7-9mm) #12715

    Only 1 left!

    The unique look of kakamba beads is easily recognized among the beads of Africa. Originally produced in former Czechoslovakia, these beads are made...

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    $24.50 - $24.50
    $24.50
    $24.50
    $24.50 - $24.50
    $24.50
  • Vintage Kakamba Prosser Beads (7-9mm) #12710 - The Bead Chest
    $24.50 - $24.50
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    Vintage Kakamba Prosser Beads (7-9mm) #12710

    Only 1 left!

    The unique look of kakamba beads is easily recognized among the beads of Africa. Originally produced in former Czechoslovakia, these beads are made...

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    $24.50 - $24.50
    $24.50
    $24.50
    $24.50 - $24.50
    $24.50
  • Vintage Kakamba Prosser Beads (7-9mm) #12703 - The Bead Chest
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    Vintage Kakamba Prosser Beads (7-9mm) #12703

    Out of stock

    The unique look of kakamba beads is easily recognized among the beads of Africa. Originally produced in former Czechoslovakia, these beads are made...

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    $24.50 - $24.50
    $24.50
    $24.50
    $24.50 - $24.50
    $24.50
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  • Vintage Kakamba Prosser Beads (7-9mm) #12702 - The Bead Chest
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    Vintage Kakamba Prosser Beads (7-9mm) #12702

    Out of stock

    The unique look of kakamba beads is easily recognized among the beads of Africa. Originally produced in former Czechoslovakia, these beads are made...

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    $24.50 - $24.50
    $24.50
    $24.50
    $24.50 - $24.50
    $24.50
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  • Vintage Kakamba Prosser Beads (7-9mm) #12699 - The Bead Chest
    $24.50 - $24.50
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    $24.50

    Vintage Kakamba Prosser Beads (7-9mm) #12699

    Only 1 left!

    The unique look of kakamba beads is easily recognized among the beads of Africa. Originally produced in former Czechoslovakia, these beads are made...

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    $24.50 - $24.50
    $24.50
    $24.50
    $24.50 - $24.50
    $24.50
  • Vintage Kakamba Prosser Beads (7-9mm) #12690 - The Bead Chest
    $24.50 - $24.50
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    $24.50

    Vintage Kakamba Prosser Beads (7-9mm) #12690

    Only 1 left!

    The unique look of kakamba beads is easily recognized among the beads of Africa. Originally produced in former Czechoslovakia, these beads are made...

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    $24.50 - $24.50
    $24.50
    $24.50
    $24.50 - $24.50
    $24.50
  • Vintage Kakamba Prosser Beads (7-9mm) #12687 - The Bead Chest
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    Vintage Kakamba Prosser Beads (7-9mm) #12687

    Out of stock

    The unique look of kakamba beads is easily recognized among the beads of Africa. Originally produced in former Czechoslovakia, these beads are made...

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    $24.50 - $24.50
    $24.50
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    $24.50 - $24.50
    $24.50
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Prosser Molded Beads, a type of Trade beads are named after the brothers Richard and Thomas Prosser who invented a machine to mold clay in England in 1840. The machinery applies pressure to clay in a die that can subsequently be removed and fired to create a porcelain-like material. Articles made using the Prosser technique may be identified based on a thin but subtle seam along the equator of one edge. The beauty of this system is that it can produce beads in a uniform and exact pattern. Originally applied for making buttons, the system was later adapted to make beads.

The first Prosser Beads were made in France by Jean-Felix Bapterosses between 1860-1864. Later, the Prosser method was used to make beads also of Bohemian, Czech, German, and Italian origin. Prosser Beads were exported in large quantities primarily to South America, the Middle East, and Africa where they were used extensively for trade. The production of Prosser Beads went into decline in the 1950s and 1960s due to a combination of factors including the prominence of less expensive Czech beads, the adoption of cheaper materials in the bead making industry, and the independence of African countries. The production of Prosser Beads has been resurrected to some extent in present day Morocco.

One of the most well known types of Prosser Beads is the Kakamba Bead. Kankanmba Beads are typically opaque multi-colored trade beads that today are sourced primarily from West Africa. The Kancamba can be found in most colors of the rainbow both as solid colored beads but also with a freckled or mottled patterning of combinations of colors. Several shapes of the bead are also available including small thin cylinders and larger more flat varieties. Other types of Prosser Beads include Sliced Blue, Sliced Green, and Sliced Yellow Prosser Beads.