Rare Flat Circular Fancy Antique Venetian Trade Beads #17764

This beautiful 30" strand of antique fancy Venetian trade beads features large, individually patterned glass beads with a rich reddish-brown base decorated with flowing trails of white, yellow, green, black and other colors. Each bead displays its own distinctive swirling and feathered pattern, giving the strand wonderful variation while maintaining a remarkably cohesive appearance. The beads are in good condition for their age and measure approximately 16–17 x 19–20mm each. Venetian glassmakers produced elaborate beads for centuries, many of which were exported to West Africa and exchanged through extensive trade networks. These beads became prized possessions and were incorporated into local traditions of adornment, status and wealth, often being preserved and passed down through generations. Fancy Venetian beads are especially admired for the skill involved in manipulating multiple colors of molten glass into intricate decorative patterns. This handsome old strand is a wonderful example of that tradition, combining substantial bead size, colorful hand-worked designs and the individual character associated with genuine old trade beads. You will receive the exact strand pictured.