Antique Large Millefiori Venetian Mosaic Glass Trade Beads Pair

Add a rare gem to your collection with this beautiful matching pair of antique Venetian Millefiori mosaic glass trade beads. Handcrafted in Venice in the early 1900s, these large and stunning mosaic beads bring history to life with their intricate floral patterns and vibrant colors. Millefiori beads like these are prized among collectors for their artistry and cultural significance, having played a prominent role in African trade throughout the 20th century.

Each bead has been carefully preserved, displaying a lightly beveled surface, attesting to its very good condition and storied past.

Bead Dimensions:

• Length: 34-35 mm
• Width: 11 mm

Condition:

• Very Good (lightly beveled, view photos for details)

Millefiori, meaning "a thousand flowers," is a complex glassworking technique perfected in Venice. Artisans combined layers of colored glass to create intricate floral designs within each bead, requiring both patience and precision. These beads were valued as currency in African trade, where they were exchanged for goods and have become a symbol of history and cultural heritage across Ghana and other regions in Africa.

Explore our collections:

• Current Millefiori Beads Collection
• Antique Trade Beads Collection
• Archived Millefiori Beads Collection