Western Asiatic Turquoise Blue Glass Bead Necklace String
1st millennium B.C. and later. Restrung using graduated oblate and other beads, central feature with larger oblate and barrel-shaped beads. Cf. Shirdam, B., Mokhtari, S., Shen, A.H., ‘Persian Turquoise: The Ancient Treasure of Nwyshabur’ in Gems & Gemmology, December 2021, pp.240-257, fig.31. 5.6 grams, 46 cm long (18 1/8 in.).

UK gallery, early 2000s.

Turquoise has been known since prehistoric times, and it is widely used in jewellery in the Middle East (Egypt and Persia), the Far East (Tibet, Mongolia and China) and even by native North Americans. Turquoise was very fashionable also in Europe, especially during the 18th and 19th centuries. [No Reserve]