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African Trade Beads

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.

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Java Kiffa Glass Trade Beads (Large) Sold out
$49.00 - $49.00
$49.00
$49.00
$49.00 - $49.00
$49.00

Java Kiffa Glass Trade Beads (Large)

Out of stock

Inspired by tradition, admire these beautiful, handmade glass beads from the Indonesian island of Java. The style of these beads is known as "Kiffa...

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$49.00 - $49.00
$49.00
$49.00
$49.00 - $49.00
$49.00
Sold out
Yellow Oval Striped Venetian Trade Beads (One of a Kind) Sold out
$159.00 - $159.00
$159.00
$159.00
$159.00 - $159.00
$159.00

Yellow Oval Striped Venetian Trade Beads (One of a Kind)

Out of stock

Admire this beautiful strand of antique Venetian trade beads! Venetian glass beads such as these were made throughout the 19th and 20th century pri...

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$159.00 - $159.00
$159.00
$159.00
$159.00 - $159.00
$159.00
Sold out
Antique Matching Venetian Millefiori Trade Beads Sold out
$179.00 - $179.00
$179.00
$179.00
$179.00 - $179.00
$179.00

Antique Matching Venetian Millefiori Trade Beads

Out of stock

Take a look at this beautiful antique strand of Venetian Millefiori trade beads! Celebrated among the most distinctive of beads, the Millefiori has...

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$179.00 - $179.00
$179.00
$179.00
$179.00 - $179.00
$179.00
Sold out
Blue & Yellow Striped Venetian Watermelon Chevron Beads Sold out
$24.50 - $24.50
$24.50
$24.50
$24.50 - $24.50
$24.50

Blue & Yellow Striped Venetian Watermelon Chevron Beads

Out of stock

Checkout these beautiful Venetian trade beads, known as watermelon chevron. Similar to the commonly known Chevrons, they display a colorful set of ...

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$24.50 - $24.50
$24.50
$24.50
$24.50 - $24.50
$24.50
Sold out
Glass Snake Beads, Navy Blue Color (9mm)
Sold out
$59.00 - $59.00
$59.00
$59.00
$59.00 - $59.00
$59.00

Glass Snake Beads, Navy Blue Color (9mm)

Out of stock

This hard to find strand of interlocking Czech glass beads is called "SNAKE" trade beads because of its similarity to the snake vertebrae. They dat...

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$59.00 - $59.00
$59.00
$59.00
$59.00 - $59.00
$59.00
Sold out
Rare Opate Antique Dutch Trade Beads
Sold out
$735.00 - $735.00
$735.00
$735.00
$735.00 - $735.00
$735.00

Rare Opate Antique Dutch Trade Beads

Out of stock

Admire this rare and highly collectable strand of old Dutch Glass Trade Beads. This authentic stand of beads has graced many owners and traveled mu...

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$735.00 - $735.00
$735.00
$735.00
$735.00 - $735.00
$735.00
Sold out
Old Translucent Brilliant Blue Padre Beads
Sold out
$93.00
$93.00 - $93.00
$93.00
$85.00
$85.00 - $85.00
$85.00

Old Translucent Brilliant Blue Padre Beads

Out of stock

Photos don't do justice to the exceptional color of these Brilliant Blue Padre beads. These days, authentic glass Padres are hard to find in Ethiop...

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$93.00
$93.00 - $93.00
$93.00
$85.00
$85.00 - $85.00
$85.00
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Black & Blue Antique Venetian Trade Beads
Sold out
$235.00 - $235.00
$235.00
$235.00
$235.00 - $235.00
$235.00

Black & Blue Antique Venetian Trade Beads

Out of stock

Old Trade beads such as these are as beautiful in their design as they are exceptional in their craftsmanship. Venetian glass beads were known for ...

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$235.00 - $235.00
$235.00
$235.00
$235.00 - $235.00
$235.00
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Antique Black & White Venetian Trade Bead Medley
Sold out
$235.00 - $235.00
$235.00
$235.00
$235.00 - $235.00
$235.00

Antique Black & White Venetian Trade Bead Medley

Out of stock

Old Trade beads such as these are as beautiful in their design as they are exceptional in their craftsmanship. Venetian glass beads were known for ...

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$235.00 - $235.00
$235.00
$235.00
$235.00 - $235.00
$235.00
Sold out
White Stripe Antique Matching Venetian Millefiori Trade Beads
Sold out
$185.00 - $185.00
$185.00
$185.00
$185.00 - $185.00
$185.00

White Stripe Antique Matching Venetian Millefiori Trade Beads

Out of stock

Take a look at this beautiful antique strand of Venetian Millefiori trade beads! Celebrated among the most distinctive of beads, the Millefiori has...

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$185.00 - $185.00
$185.00
$185.00
$185.00 - $185.00
$185.00
Sold out
Ancient Dogon Quartz Stone Beads
Sold out
$165.00 - $165.00
$165.00
$165.00
$165.00 - $165.00
$165.00

Ancient Dogon Quartz Stone Beads

Out of stock

Admire this exceptional strand of stone beads from Mali. West Africa has a long history of stone bead-making stretching back to ancient and even pr...

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$165.00 - $165.00
$165.00
$165.00
$165.00 - $165.00
$165.00
Sold out
Green Cylindrical Striped Venetian Watermelon Chevron Beads
Sold out
$39.00 - $39.00
$39.00
$39.00
$39.00 - $39.00
$39.00

Green Cylindrical Striped Venetian Watermelon Chevron Beads

Out of stock

Checkout these beautiful Venetian trade beads, known as watermelon chevron. Similar to the commonly known Chevrons, they display a colorful set of ...

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$39.00 - $39.00
$39.00
$39.00
$39.00 - $39.00
$39.00
Sold out
Antique Venetian Green Stripe Trade Beads
Sold out
$89.00 - $89.00
$89.00
$89.00
$89.00 - $89.00
$89.00

Antique Venetian Green Stripe Trade Beads

Out of stock

Commonly referred to as "African trade beads", these beautiful glass beads are of Venetian origin. Beads such as these are said to have been made i...

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$89.00 - $89.00
$89.00
$89.00
$89.00 - $89.00
$89.00
Sold out
Antique Matching Venetian Millefiori Trade Beads
Sold out
$179.00 - $179.00
$179.00
$179.00
$179.00 - $179.00
$179.00

Antique Matching Venetian Millefiori Trade Beads

Out of stock

Take a look at this beautiful antique strand of Venetian Millefiori trade beads! Celebrated among the most distinctive of beads, the Millefiori has...

View full details
$179.00 - $179.00
$179.00
$179.00
$179.00 - $179.00
$179.00
Sold out
Blue Dot Antique Matching Venetian Trade Beads
Sold out
$175.00 - $175.00
$175.00
$175.00
$175.00 - $175.00
$175.00

Blue Dot Antique Matching Venetian Trade Beads

Out of stock

Take a look at this beautiful antique strand of Venetian Millefiori trade beads! Celebrated among the most distinctive of beads, the Millefiori has...

View full details
$175.00 - $175.00
$175.00
$175.00
$175.00 - $175.00
$175.00
Sold out
Antique Matching Round Venetian Millefiori Trade Beads
Sold out
$265.00 - $265.00
$265.00
$265.00
$265.00 - $265.00
$265.00

Antique Matching Round Venetian Millefiori Trade Beads

Out of stock

Take a look at this beautiful antique strand of Venetian Millefiori trade beads! Celebrated among the most distinctive of beads, the Millefiori has...

View full details
$265.00 - $265.00
$265.00
$265.00
$265.00 - $265.00
$265.00
Sold out
Striped Watermelon Chevron Beads
Sold out
$26.00 - $26.00
$26.00
$26.00
$26.00 - $26.00
$26.00

Striped Watermelon Chevron Beads

Out of stock

Checkout these beautiful chevron trade beads, known as watermelon chevron. Similar to the commonly known Chevrons, they display a colorful set of ...

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$26.00 - $26.00
$26.00
$26.00
$26.00 - $26.00
$26.00
Sold out
Antique Black Venetian Skunk Eye Beads
Sold out
$159.00 - $159.00
$159.00
$159.00
$159.00 - $159.00
$159.00

Antique Black Venetian Skunk Eye Beads

Out of stock

Old Trade beads such as these are as beautiful in their design as they are exceptional in their craftsmanship. Venetian glass beads were known for ...

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$159.00 - $159.00
$159.00
$159.00
$159.00 - $159.00
$159.00
Sold out
Old Red & Yellow Cylinder Tomato Beads
Save 10% Save %
$139.00
$139.00 - $139.00
$139.00
$125.00
$125.00 - $125.00
$125.00

Old Red & Yellow Cylinder Tomato Beads

Only 3 left!

Wow! These red and yellow tomato beads are a beauty and tough to find. Like their cousins the rounded tomato beads, these old cylinder-shaped beads...

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$139.00
$139.00 - $139.00
$139.00
$125.00
$125.00 - $125.00
$125.00
Save 10% Save %
Emerald Green Vaseline Beads
Sold out
$59.00 - $59.00
$59.00
$59.00
$59.00 - $59.00
$59.00

Emerald Green Vaseline Beads

Out of stock

Each of these beautiful emerald green 'Vaseline' glass beads is approximately 16mm in diameter. The strand is 27 inches long.

$59.00 - $59.00
$59.00
$59.00
$59.00 - $59.00
$59.00
Sold out
Baby Blue Antique Matching Venetian Millefiori Trade Beads (Long Strand)
Sold out
$375.00
$375.00 - $375.00
$375.00
$325.00
$325.00 - $325.00
$325.00

Baby Blue Antique Matching Venetian Millefiori Trade Beads (Long Strand)

Out of stock

WOW! Take a look at this beautiful antique strand of Venetian Millefiori trade beads! Old Venetian glass in this light blue color is rare and hard ...

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$375.00
$375.00 - $375.00
$375.00
$325.00
$325.00 - $325.00
$325.00
Sold out
Rare Venetian Antique Raised Flower Beads
Sold out
$535.00 - $535.00
$535.00
$535.00
$535.00 - $535.00
$535.00

Rare Venetian Antique Raised Flower Beads

Out of stock

Prized by collectors and bead aficionados, raised Venetian Flower Beads such as these are rare and hard to find. Possibly found buried after an ext...

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$535.00 - $535.00
$535.00
$535.00
$535.00 - $535.00
$535.00
Sold out
Old Amber Vaseline Cube Trade Beads
Save 9% Save %
$325.00
$325.00 - $325.00
$325.00
$295.00
$295.00 - $295.00
$295.00

Old Amber Vaseline Cube Trade Beads

Only 2 left!

Admire this highly rare color of antique, cornerless cube Czech Vaseline beads. Most commonly found in green, red, and yellow alternatives, Vaselin...

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$325.00
$325.00 - $325.00
$325.00
$295.00
$295.00 - $295.00
$295.00
Save 9% Save %
Orange Mosaic Antique Venetian Millefiori Trade Beads
Sold out
$179.00 - $179.00
$179.00
$179.00
$179.00 - $179.00
$179.00

Orange Mosaic Antique Venetian Millefiori Trade Beads

Out of stock

Take a look at this beautiful antique strand of Venetian Millefiori trade beads! Celebrated among the most distinctive of beads, the Millefiori has...

View full details
$179.00 - $179.00
$179.00
$179.00
$179.00 - $179.00
$179.00
Sold out