Antique Qing Dynasty Southern Red Agate - Pumpkin Bead Shape - Style A - 12.25 grams

In late December 2023, a gem dealer brought back antique Qing Dynasty Southern Red Agate from overseas. These types of ancient beads are priced by weight in foreign markets. The dealer mentioned that pieces in good condition start at NT$800 per gram. The batch that returned to Taiwan had average condition, so naturally, the price couldn't reach NT$800 per gram. As a result, due to the average condition and the sluggish economy in Taiwan, very few were sold. The dealer was under immense pressure. In March 2024, someone with available funds to settle a debt acquired several pieces. In Taiwan, antique Southern Red Agate was often seen as spacer beads on Tibetan Buddhist malas 20-30 years ago. Later, after mainland Chinese collectors aggressively bought and inflated prices, it became less common to see them as decorative spacer beads on malas. Often, they would be dismantled and sold individually. What mainland China calls "Lao Gao Bai" (which refers to old ivory) 3-hole mala heads, are the most common examples dismantled from entire malas and sold separately. This Qing Dynasty antique Southern Red Agate pumpkin bead weighs 12.25 grams.