Rare Antique Banded Venetian Millefiori Mosaic Glass Trade Beads 17x9 mm

Add a touch of history to your collection with this matching pair of rare antique banded Venetian millefiori mosaic glass trade beads. These exquisite beads showcase a traditional banded millefiori design crafted in Venice, Italy, in the early 1900s, destined for the African trade market. Perfectly suited for collectors and jewelry designers alike, these beads offer a striking combination of historic craftsmanship and vibrant mosaic artistry.

Size:

• Bead dimensions: 17 x 9 mm

Condition:

• Very good with light chipping at the ends (please refer to photos for details)

Handmade in Venice with the intricate millefiori or “thousand flowers” technique, these beads were created by layering slices of colorful glass canes, forming detailed floral and geometric patterns. Millefiori beads like these held immense value across Africa, especially in Ghana, where they were traded for goods and became symbols of wealth and social prestige. Today, antique trade beads stand as vibrant connections to a rich heritage of artistry and exchange.

Explore more of TribalGH’s curated collections:

• Millefiori Beads Collection
• Old Trade Beads Collection
• Sold Millefiori Beads in the Archives