My introduction to beads and jewelry came early. Our family’s German landlady had come to America after narrowly escaping the ****. She had rescued her personal collection of antique Venetian glass and African trade beads, and she kept them in several small trunks that looked just like a pirate’s treasure chest. We admired them together; Mrs. Kaplan shared her knowledge of bead designs and the history of beads. She passed her love of these exquisite works of art to me.
http://beadbear.wordpress.com/2010/05/27/how-i-came-to-love-beads/