Antique Venetian Lewis & Clark Beads #17424

Admire this exceptional strand of old Lewis & Clark African trade beads, a hard-to-find variety prized by collectors for its distinctive black glass body and colorful trailing decoration. These large wound-glass beads are traditionally associated with Venetian beadmaking and belong to the centuries-old history of European glass beads traded extensively throughout Africa, where beads served not only as adornment but also as objects of wealth, status, and exchange. Commonly called “Lewis & Clark” beads by collectors, the name connects them to the broader history of glass beads used as trade goods during the era of the Lewis and Clark expedition, although there is no evidence that the expedition carried this particular decorated type. This impressive strand measures approximately 30 inches long, with individual beads measuring approximately 18–26 x 10–13mm. Variations in shape, decoration, surface wear, and small imperfections reflect the age and handmade character of these old African trade beads. Increasingly difficult to find in strands such as this, they are well suited to a trade bead collection, distinctive jewelry designs, or display. This is a unique, individually selected strand, and you will receive the exact strand pictured.