seed pearln.

1551 J. Williams Acct. Monastic Treasures (1836) 20 A mytour, the grounde white silke, garnished w^t siluer and gilte, counterfete stones, and small seede perles.

1598 J. Florio Worlde of Wordes Perlette, little, small, seede pearles.

1619 T. Milles tr. P. Mexia et al. Αρχαιο-πλουτος 976/2 Some [pearls] are found to be so little, that they can not bee drilled by any meanes; and therefore they call them Seede-pearles.

1648 R. Herrick Hesperides sig. K5 A pure seed-pearle of Infant dew, Brought and besweetned in a blew And pregnant violet.

1746 J. Hill in tr. Theophrastus Περι τον ΛιΘον Βιβλιον 93 When small, they are called Seed-pearls, and when larger than ordinary, Uniones.

1808 A. Aikin Ann. Rev. & Hist. of Lit. 1807 6 i. 94/1 The larger pearls are procured by opening the oyster and picking them out of the fleshy part. The smaller, or seed pearls as they are called, are separated from the oyster by the putrefaction of its substance.

1841 E. Rigby Resid. Shores Baltic I. iii. 53 Wretched cripples and loathsome beggars, whom one seed pearl from the Virgin's shou'der-knot would have enriched.

1877 E. W. Streeter Precious Stones 235 According to their size they [sc. Pearls] receive certain names;..small, Piece Pearls; smaller, Seed Pearls; smallest, Dust Pearls.

1927 Times 28 Oct. 17/3 The bride..wore a period gown of cream chiffon velvet, trimmed with seed pearls.

1984 S. Elgin Native Tongue v. 59 I saw it—every least knob and toggle and button and switch has the family crest outlined on it in seed pearls and solid gold.

2000 E. Smith in Piecework May 49/1 The use of silk, gold (silver gilt) and silver thread, along with seed pearls and black beads, was widespread in Elizabethan embroidery.

1553 in W. Page Inventories Church Goods York, Durham & Northumberland (1897) 168 Garnished with..an edge of smale seede pearle sett round abowte the same.

1574 New Year's Gifts in J. Nichols Progresses Queen Elizabeth (1823) I. 380 Item, a fayre gyrdle of pomaunder, and seede perle garnets and pomaunders.

1600 Queen's Wardrobe in J. Nichols Progresses Queen Elizabeth (1823) III. 511 Brodered upon with essefirmes and other knotts of seede pearle.

1624 J. Smith Gen. Hist. Virginia v. 198 Some seed Pearle they got.

1710 R. Steele Tatler No. 245. ⁋2 Bracelets of braided Hair, Pomander, and Seed-Pearl.

1738 G. Smith tr. Laboratory ii. 53 Take Oriental Seed Pearl, reduce them into a fine Powder.

1769 Public Advertiser 29 May 3/4 Beautiful oriental Mocoas, Antiques, Seed Pearl.

1834 J. Warren Conchologist ii. 54 The pearls which have dropped out are selected and assorted. The smaller, or seed pearl, are worth from $15 to $35 per oz.

1879 E. Arnold Light of Asia iv. 105 A golden net, With tassels of seed-pearl and silken strings.

1919 Smith's Weekly (Sydney) 10 May 11/2 Seed pearl and ‘blisters’ (pearls of irregular shape attached to the oyster's inner shell) are fairly common.

1991 tr. R. Ferré Youngest Doll 59 She had a lavish doll's dress made to order, with seed-pearl embroidered mittens.

2004 India (Insight Guides) (ed. 7) 341 The pearl market has varieties of seed pearl, rice pearl and round pearl, sold loose by weight, or strung into jewellery.