Rare Antique Venetian Millefiori Mosaic Glass Trade Beads – 12x11mm

These three rare, matching Venetian millefiori mosaic trade beads feature exquisite molded murrine and trail decoration. Known for their intricate craftsmanship, these beads were handmade in Venice and distributed widely as African trade beads in the early 1900s. Each bead has been meticulously preserved, displaying vibrant colors and detailed mosaic patterns that remain strikingly vivid even after over a century.

Bead Size:

• Approximately 12mm x 11mm

Condition:

• Excellent – very well-preserved with no visible cracks or chips.

Venetian millefiori beads, also called mosaic beads, were crafted using the "millefiori" (thousand flowers) technique, involving layering and fusing of glass canes to create intricate floral or geometric patterns. These beads were then shaped and polished to perfection. In Africa, especially Ghana, these beads held significant cultural and economic value as symbols of wealth and status, and they became integral to trade, ritual, and social exchanges.

Explore similar collections and discover more antique treasures on TribalGH:

• Current Millefiori Beads Collection
• Antique Trade Beads Collection
• Sold Millefiori Beads Archive