Antique Translucent Green Striped Venetian Lampwork Trade Beads, 1800s

Explore this stunning collection of antique Venetian lampwork trade beads featuring translucent green glass with delicate striped trail decoration. These beads, made in Venice in the late 1800s to early 1900s, are a beautiful representation of wound glass craftsmanship, used extensively in the African trade.

• Size: 18-19 mm x 9 mm
• Condition: Very good condition, with few air bubbles (see photos)

These exquisite Venetian wound glass beads are not only collectible for their beauty but also for their historical significance. Lampwork, or wound glass beadmaking, is an ancient technique perfected in Venice, where artisans shaped molten glass using metal rods to form intricate beads like these.

Venetian trade beads were highly sought after in the 19th and early 20th centuries, especially in regions of West Africa such as Ghana, where they were used in the African trade. Beads like these held both commercial and cultural value, often used as currency and in ceremonial practices. Their vibrant colors and unique designs made them cherished possessions that traveled far beyond their Venetian origins.

Learn more about TribalGH’s Venetian lampwork trade beads here, view our current collection of old trade beads here, and browse the archives of sold old Venetian trade beads here.