Rare Graduated Antique Venetian Seven Layer Chevron Beads #17762

This exceptional 36" strand of antique seven-layer Venetian Chevron beads features a beautifully graduated selection of old glass trade beads, culminating in an impressive large centerpiece bead. Chevron beads, also known as rosetta or star beads, are among the most recognizable and highly collected of the historic Venetian trade beads. They were produced by building up multiple layers of differently colored molten glass around a hollow core, with the glass shaped into a star pattern before being drawn into long canes, cut and carefully ground to reveal the distinctive chevron design. Seven-layer examples are particularly prized for their complex construction and connection to the earlier traditions of Venetian beadmaking. Venice and the nearby island of Murano became world-renowned centers of glassmaking, and for centuries Venetian workshops produced beads that traveled along extensive trade networks into Africa, the Americas and other parts of the world. These antique beads display the characteristic deep blue, white and brick-red coloring associated with classic Chevron beads, along with the surface wear and individual variation acquired through generations of use and trade. The strand is nicely graduated, with beads measuring approximately 6–22 x 10–18mm, and features a particularly striking oversized centerpiece. The complete strand measures approximately 36" long. A rare and impressive collector's strand showcasing one of the most celebrated forms of historic Venetian glassmaking. You will receive the exact strand pictured.