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African Trade Beads

  • Original price $6.00
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    Multicolor Ghana Christmas Beads (Long Strand)

    in stock

    These 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....

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    Small Vintage Christmas Beads (Akosombo Medley)

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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,"...

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    Large Assorted Vintage Christmas Beads

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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,"...

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    Old White Padre Beads

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    These 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....

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    Original price $25.00
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    Mixed Chevron Christmas Beads (Small)

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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,"...

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    Christmas Beads

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    Bright, beautifully colored glass trade beads with an occasional plastic spacer bead. Originally made in southern Spain, Venice, and Czechoslovakia...

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    Rose Annular Wound Dogon Beads (14mm)

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    Take a look at this fabulous strand of annular wound trade beads also known as "Dutch Donuts." Trade beads like these have traveled multiple contin...

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    Original price $125.00 - Original price $125.00
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    Small Vintage Christmas Beads (Kintampo Medley)

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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,"...

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    Mixed Vintage Christmas Beads (Bolgatanga Medley)

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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,"...

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    Contemporary Christmas Beads

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    Admire this colorful strand of glass Christmas beads. Also sometimes identified as Czechovally beads, strands of mixed beads such as these may deri...

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    Original price $5.00
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    Amber Annular Wound Dogon Beads

    in stock

    Take a look at this fabulous strand of annular wound trade beads also known as "Dutch Donuts." Trade beads like these have traveled multiple contin...

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    Original price $79.00 - Original price $79.00
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    Skunk Elbow Krobo Powder Glass Beads

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    A beautiful strand of powder glass African beads, made by the people of Krobo Mountain (Ghana, West Africa), reproducing old Venetian FANCY trade b...

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    Vintage Coral & Turquoise Mixed Glass Snake Beads (6mm)

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    Snake beads are vintage African trade beads originally produced in former Czechoslovakia and exported to West Africa. The shape of these beads is i...

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    Terracotta Medley Large Vintage Christmas Beads

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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,"...

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    Contemporary Medley of Sandcast Christmas Beads

    in stock

    Admire this colorful strand of glass Christmas beads. Also sometimes identified as Czechovally beads, strands of mixed beads such as these may deri...

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    Original price $5.00
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  • Original price $12.00 - Original price $12.00
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    Black Padre Beads (8mm)

    in stock

    Padre beads were originally manufactured in Europe and traded throughout Africa in the 20th century. Although of newer age, these padre beads have ...

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    Small Vintage Christmas Beads (Red Tone Medley)

    in stock

    Christmas beads comprise of a special blend of choice beads created in former Czechoslovakia for use in Africa. Also known as "African love beads,"...

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    Antique White Skunk Venetian Eye Trade Bead (Single Bead)

    in stock

    Beautiful old eye white skunk trade beads. These beads have traveled at least three continents and were originally traded in the 1800's. Each bead ...

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    Turquoise White Heart Beads (6mm)

    in stock

    Checkout this beautiful strand of translucent turquoise-blue white hearts! The strand measures approximately 24", with beads measuring about 6 mm i...

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    Turquoise Glass Snake Beads (6mm)

    in stock

    This strand of interlocking Czech glass beads is called "SNAKE" trade beads because of its similarity to the snake vertebrae. They date back from t...

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    Original price $36.00
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    Multicolor Christmas Beads (Large)

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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,"...

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    Turquoise Vintage Czech Cylinder Beads (4x6mm)

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    Take a moment to examine these beautifully made Vintage Turquoise Czech Cylinder Beads. This style of bead making was developed in Bohemia, aka the...

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    Black & White Watermelon Chevron Beads

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    Take a look at these beautiful mixed chevron beads measuring approximately 11-12 x 8-11mm in size. Chevrons have long been prized as the most valua...

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    Neon Orange Binta Banji Kakamba Beads (5x8mm)

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    These brilliant glass beads are made using techniques pioneered in Czechoslovakia. Beads such as these were produced during the 19th and 20th centu...

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African 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.