Rare Venetian Elbow Chevron Beads – 4 Layer 29mm Antique Pair

This beautiful matching pair of rare antique 4-layer Elbow Chevron Venetian glass trade beads is a collector’s treasure. With their elongated curved form and classic striped chevron pattern, these beads are documented in Picard, Volume VII, p.14, sample card, making them a verified and sought-after historical type.

These Venetian Chevron trade beads were produced in Murano and exported for use in the African trade during the early 1900s. Their slender, elegant form and vibrant multi-layered design reflect the fine craftsmanship of traditional glass beadmaking from Venice.

• Size: 29-30 mm length x 6 mm diameter

• Condition: Very Good – very lightly chipped at the ends (see photos)

Also known as Rosetta beads, Chevron glass beads, Old Chevron beads, and Antique Chevron beads, these drawn glass beads were created using a technique that involved layering different colors of molten glass rods (canes), typically red, white, and blue, in a star-shaped mold. The cane was then pulled into long rods, cut into segments, and ground at both ends to reveal the iconic chevron starburst pattern.

The curved "elbow" shape is particularly rare and adds a dynamic aesthetic to jewelry or beadwork. These beads were not just adornments; they held trade value, often exchanged for goods and services throughout West Africa. Today, they hold immense historical and artistic value, especially when documented and preserved in matching pairs like this one.

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