Aside from beaded trinkets made for sale in curio shops at popular tourist destinations, very little remains of the rare beadwork craft. Only in the few remaining pockets of tradition where this art form was researched can authentic examples still be found and certified as such by the author of those orginal reports.
For the benefit of serious collectors interested in aquiring items that are already extremely scarce and soon to be unobtainable, Dr Schoeman is prepared to assemble complete "wardrobes" of beaded articles or sub-sets which can later be combined to form full collections. Many of these items are no longer in use and are unknown to some of the younger women who assist the older, more knowledgeable craftswomen, so that such items would have to be specially commissioned. Assembling such sets in regions almost inaccessible to normal modes of transport is a time-consuming task and only a limited number can therefore be offered. A complete set would conform to all the requirements of special collections in terms of uniqueness, authenticity and aesthetic appeal. The value of such collections will soon substantially exceed their current cost. Each collection will be certified as authentic by an expert with a proven track record of scientific publications and would include a comprehensive descriptive document.
For samples of the collections, please peruse the following: