Beautiful Rare Green "Bumble Bee" Venetian Wound Glass Trade Bead
This stunning antique Venetian trade bead features a rich green hue with an intricate "bumble bee" trail decoration, making it a truly rare find for collectors. Handcrafted in Venice, Italy, during the late 1800s to early 1900s, this bead was an essential part of the African trade, especially in Ghana and West Africa. Venetian lampwork beads like this were highly valued by African traders for their artistry and craftsmanship.
Size: 15mm x 9mm
Condition: Very good – minor air bubbles and slight beveled edges
Venetian lampwork beads, also known as wound glass beads, were painstakingly made by hand, using a centuries-old technique. Artisans would wind molten glass around a metal rod to shape each bead, then add decorative details like the trails seen on this "Bumble Bee" design. These beads played a crucial role in African trade, particularly in Ghana, where they were exchanged for goods and held symbolic value.
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