Opaque beads are those where the light does not go through them. They appear solid and the background color will not show through except within the gaps between beads.
Below are some examples, information and price guides of opaque beaded bags including a Sioux beaded and quilled hide bladder bag and a French beaded bag.
Glass eye bead ca. 4th century B.C. Greek, Eastern Mediterranean
Gray opaque bead covered with white and blue eyes
Reference: The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Sioux Beaded and Quilled Hide Bladder Bag c 1950s
This bladder bag shows a fine beaded top and black, medium opaque blue, and corn yellow glass trade seed beads. The bladder bag is also heavily decorated with quillwork, including dyed orange designs throughout. Where the bladder part of the bag and the tanned Indian hide material meet is a fringe decorated with rolled tin jingle cones and orange dyed horsehair. The design at the bottom of the bag shows similar beaded and quill design work with an attached hide bottom.
Sold for $250 at North American Auction Company in 2021
Drawstring bag French1690–1715
Small, round drawstring bag made of four wedge-shaped panels. Polychrome opaque and translucent glass beads strung with linen thread, held together by interlocking looping stitches (sablé). Polychrome design on white ground: piper with dancing dog, man holding basket of flowers, woman with basket picking fruit, woman sewing(?) with piper in tree; dogs, sheep and ducks in landscapes. Yellow and black beaded binding. Four beadwork tassels with green flowers on white ground. Pink silk taffeta lining.
Reference: Museum of Fine Arts Boston
Unusual Sioux Pictorial Beaded Hide Tobacco Bag elaborately stitched in opaque, translucent and faceted metal beadwork, with an American and Cuban flag on the front, the reverse, with typical geometric motifs, the cut hide panel below wrapped in dyed porcupine quillwork; trimmed with tin cone pendants inserted with horsehair.
Sold for 10,625 USD at Sotheby’s in 2012
Embroidered linen bag produced c.1918 by the Mission Anglaise de la Société des Amis.
Reference: © Victoria and Albert Museum
Linen bag embroidered in a geometric design with violet, red, orange, yellow, blue and green wool, with a black silk cord drawstring fastening threaded with heavy opaque and transparent glass beads.
Reference: © Victoria and Albert Museum
OVERSIZE FRENCH CARPET DESIGN BEADED BAG, EARLY 20th C
Colorful pattern worked in tiny iridescent and opaque beads, having hinged filigree frame and colorful twisted fringe with looped eye, lining edged metallic gold lace. 8 1/2 x 13 with 8-13 inch double chain handle.
Sold for $750 at Charles A. Whitaker Auction Co. in 2016
