Antique Elbow Venetian Millefiori Mosaic Trade Bead 33x8mm – African Trade

Add a piece of vibrant history to your collection with this Antique Elbow Venetian Millefiori Mosaic Glass Trade Bead, referenced in Picard, Volume VI, p.35, bead 573. This exquisite bead, crafted in Venice in the early 1900s, showcases the iconic millefiori technique, where colorful floral patterns are fused into a mosaic design, making each bead a miniature work of art. These beads were highly sought after and widely traded across Africa, holding cultural and economic significance in regions such as Ghana.

Size:

• Length: 33 mm
• Width: 8 mm

Condition:

• Excellent condition with minimal wear
• Slight chipping on one end (see photos)

Millefiori, meaning "a thousand flowers," is a painstaking Venetian glassmaking technique in which glass rods are layered and fused to create intricate mosaic patterns. Venetian artisans perfected this process over centuries, with each bead crafted to embody beauty and resilience. These stunning beads became treasured items in the African trade networks, highly valued in Ghana and other parts of West Africa as symbols of wealth, cultural exchange, and artistic sophistication.

Discover more of TribalGH's unique bead collections:

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