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Christmas beads comprise of a special blend of choice beads created in former Czechoslovakia for use in Africa. Also known as "African love beads,"...
View full detailsChristmas beads comprise of a special blend of choice beads created in former Czechoslovakia for use in Africa. Also known as "African love beads,"...
View full detailsChristmas beads comprise of a special blend of choice beads created in former Czechoslovakia for use in Africa. Also known as "African love beads,"...
View full detailsChristmas beads comprise of a special blend of choice beads created in former Czechoslovakia for use in Africa. Also known as "African love beads,"...
View full detailsThis beautiful strand of African powder glass beads was made by the people of Krobo Mountain in Ghana, West Africa. Many designs of Krobo beads are...
View full detailsAdmire this colorful strand of glass Christmas beads. Also sometimes identified as Czechovally beads, strands of mixed beads such as these may deri...
View full detailsChristmas beads comprise of a special blend of choice beads created in former Czechoslovakia for use in Africa. Also known as "African love beads,"...
View full detailsChristmas beads comprise of a special blend of choice beads created in former Czechoslovakia for use in Africa. Also known as "African love beads,"...
View full detailsThese fun strands are a rainbow of color! Individually hand strung in West Africa, small beads like this are commonly worn as waist beads by women....
View full detailsA beautiful strand of powder glass African beads, made by the people of Krobo Mountain (Ghana, West Africa), reproducing old Venetian FANCY trade b...
View full detailsCheckout this beautiful strand of blue color white heart seed beads! White hearts derive their name from the inner core of opaque white glass that ...
View full detailsTake a moment to admire these Forest Green White Heart beads. White Heart beads are truly unique glass beads that are known for their white-colored...
View full detailsThese white padre beads are found in Ethiopia, East Africa. Originally European made and have been traded in African in the late 1800 early 1900's....
View full detailsBeautiful old eye white skunk trade beads. These beads have traveled at least three continents and were originally traded in the 1800's. Each bead ...
View full detailsRecycled glass beads are a type of indigenously produced African bead from Ghana West Africa. These beautiful blue color recycled beads are made us...
View full detailsTake a look at these great strands of our Brass Miniature Padre Beads. Each strand is about 16" in length. Each Padre Bead is approximately 5-6 x 6...
View full detailsChristmas beads comprise of a special blend of choice beads created in former Czechoslovakia for use in Africa. Also known as "African love beads,"...
View full detailsChristmas beads comprise of a special blend of choice beads created in former Czechoslovakia for use in Africa. Also known as "African love beads,"...
View full detailsThese exquisite millefiori beads are modeled after Venetian Trade Beads, made from multi-color chevron canes by slicing a glass cane, and forming i...
View full detailsCheck out this beautiful strand of orange color white heart beads from the Ivory Coast! White hearts derive their name from the inner core of opaqu...
View full detailsCheckout this beautiful strand of white heart beads! White hearts derive their name from the inner core of opaque white glass that is coated with a...
View full detailsThis colorful mix of Krobo beads is a traditional craft of Ghana in West Africa. The beads are formed using pulverized glass that is heated and a c...
View full detailsThese brilliant glass beads are made using techniques pioneered in Czechoslovakia. Beads such as these were produced during the 19th and 20th centu...
View full detailsTake a moment to examine these beautifully made Vintage Turquoise Czech Cylinder Beads. This style of bead making was developed in Bohemia, aka the...
View full detailsAfrican beads were first produced as a form of currency for native inhabitants all across the continent of Africa centuries ago, and are now appreciated world wide by thousands of bead collectors, wearers, and enthusiasts. What draws people to trade beads is not only their elegance and beauty in craft, but the experience and history that comes along with each bead. While African bead makers continue to create new beads today, many of the items we offer have traveled long distances and years of existence to arrive where they are today.
We carry a large selection of high quality, authentic trade beads. Hundreds of strands in stock, including glass trade beads, antique african trade beads, vintage venetian trade beads, Chevron trade beads, czech trade beads, and more.
Trade Beads are beads that have been used as a form of currency for the exchange of goods and services especially in West Africa. Some of the more common items that these beads were bartered for include ivory, gold, slaves, and other goods that were in demand by Europeans and colonial overlords. Trade beads were made throughout Europe, however their production was concentrated in Venice and Bohemia where the secrets of glass bead production were a carefully guarded secret. The high demand for European beads in Africa can be attributed to the cultural value put by African peoples on decorative items. Jewelry items could add to the status of the owner and could be passed on to future generations as a symbol of wealth.
Interestingly, trade beads were also used for trade in the New World. The important role that they played is illustrated by the legend that the Dutch purchased the island of Manhattan from local Native American tribes for several strands of beads. It is believed that Christopher Columbus used glass Trade Beads for barter during his early voyages. Later, Spanish explorers and European fur traders and American explorers such as Lewis and Clark used Trade Beads to facilitate interactions with local peoples and to procure goods. Today, African beads used in the trade are considered highly collectible items.
A wide variety of Trade Beads were produced between the 16th and 20th centuries. One of the most celebrated bead designs is the Millefiori Bead from Venice that was named after the characteristic flower pattern on its surface. The methods used to make these and other beads are a testament to the innovation of Venetian artisans. African artisans subsequently copied glass cane beads such as the Millefiori using powdered glass techniques to produce indigenous African Kiffa Beads with similar patterns. Additional well-known varieties of trade beads include Chevrons, Dogon Beads,Vaseline Beads, Russian Blue Beads, Skunk Beads and many others.
Today, Trade Beads are world-renown for their rich legacy and aesthetic beauty. While African Trade Beads have long been highly regarded in African culture, their appreciation in Western countries continues to grow both among bead collectors and artists as well as bead enthusiasts alike.