Vintage Bead Box is a monthly DIY craft subscription box providing you with beads and findings manufactured between about 1930 and 1970.
My Subscription Addiction pays for this subscription. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes.)
About Vintage Bead Box
The Subscription Box: Vintage Bead Box
The Cost: $25/month
The Products: Beads and findings made from a variety of materials (glass, wood, semiprecious stones, metal, acrylic, etc.). Most were manufactured between 1930 and 1970.
Ships to: US (free), Worldwide (additional shipping charges will apply)
Vintage Bead Box August 2019 Review
All Vintage Bead Boxes are now themed. This month’s theme was “Sunflowers”:
There isn’t a traditional information card with this box because, owing to the nature of the contents (i.e., limited supply), every box could be a little different.
A note on prices: Because these beads are vintage, they can’t be purchased separately from any sources. Further, materials, country of manufacture, and more can be a little difficult to determine precisely. Thus, I have opted not to provide prices in this review.
Please note that no directions are given and you have to supply your own needles, stringing materials, tools, and findings.
Acrylic Beads
You’ll usually receive acrylic beads with this subscription, and they may come in a variety of sizes, shapes, and colors. These are bright and cheery and I used most of them in a necklace this month.
Ceramic Beads
When I saw these, after the acrylic beads, a color scheme started coming together in my head. Also, I don’t often work with ceramic beads and I wanted to give it a try, so I used most of these in a necklace as well.
Lampwork Beads
These are fun because although they’re all very nearly the same size, each one is a little different. I will probably make them into a Y-necklace with these lined up dangling down the center.
Millefiori Beads
These are cheery. I’m not sure how I will use them yet; I may dig through my collection because I feel like I have some other colors of millefiori beads that would complement these nicely. They’re lightweight enough for earrings, too.
Peridot Beads
These are small(ish) chips. I often struggle to come up with ideas for using gemstone chips, but I thought of something this month so I used a lot of these in my necklace. They fit the color scheme I was going for but added something of a natural/organic element.
Porcelain Beads
These are very pretty. I am not sure how I will use them yet but they have such nice surfaces and such a lovely color that I can go in a lot of different directions for them. They are a good size for a lot of different projects.
Resin Beads
These are fairly large, but not heavy at all. The patterning in them makes them look like stone, but with none of the weight. They would even work in earrings, which isn’t often the case (I feel) for beads this large.
Metal Spacer Beads
You’ll often receive some metal beads in this subscription box. These came in handy. They nicely fit the color scheme I was going for. I used a lot of them in a necklace this month.
I had two of the ceramic beads left over so I made some matching earrings.
Verdict: I did not calculate a value for Vintage Bead Box, as explained above, but if you divide the total cost by the number of items, you are paying about $3.13 an item. This seems quite reasonable to me. If you browse Etsy or eBay, you can find similar groupings of vintage beads and findings for prices ranging from $2-$7 (and beyond). There were quite a few design options this month and I had several ideas before I picked one to go with. I think it turned out well, though, and what I made goes with something I already have in my wardrobe, which is an added bonus.
For what it’s worth, everything arrives clean. I suspect at least some of it is from deconstructed vintage jewelry (but honestly, that is OK by me – I get fun beads and things stay out of the landfill). It is all clean and, so far, manufactured pretty well. Some beads show a little wear but that is part of the charm of working with vintage beads. Plus, a lot of the items are unusual and you’d have a hard time finding equivalents made from modern materials.
To Wrap Up:
Can you still get this box if you sign up today? This subscription ships very early in the month, so your first shipment if you signed up now would come in September. (Also, your box might not match mine exactly since many vintage beads are in short supply.)
Value Breakdown: At $25 for this box, you are paying about $3.13 per item.
Check out my past reviews of Vintage Bead Box or see more of our best arts and crafts boxes!
Keep Track of Your Subscriptions: Add this box to your subscription list or wishlist!
What did you think of the August 2019 Vintage Bead Box? Do you subscribe to any beading or craft boxes?
Please do not enter your email address in the Name field or in the comment content. Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *. Remember to post with kindness and respect. Comments with offensive language, cruelness to others, etc will not be approved. See our full comment policy here.