Antique French Ambassador & Flower Beads 17763

This exceptional 38" strand of antique fancy Venetian trade beads features a striking assortment of old black glass beads decorated with colorful applied and trailed glass designs. Among the strand are hard-to-find French Ambassador beads and fancy flower beads, displaying distinctive patterns in white, red, blue, green and yellow against a deep black background. The varied shapes and decorative techniques give each bead its own character while creating a beautifully cohesive strand. Venetian glass beads were produced for centuries and exported throughout the world, becoming particularly important in trade with West Africa. Elaborately decorated varieties such as these were valued for their color and craftsmanship and were preserved, traded and passed down through generations. Today, unusual antique Venetian varieties—especially French Ambassador and other fancy decorated beads—are coveted by collectors for their scarcity, history and distinctive workmanship. This rare strand measures approximately 38" long, with individual beads ranging from approximately 10–18mm long x 10–11mm in diameter. Age-related wear and individual variation are part of the character of these genuine old trade beads. You will receive the exact strand pictured.