This stunning and rare large Venetian wound glass trade bead features a classic brick red base with elegant striped and trail decorations. Its bold yet intricate design highlights the masterful glassmaking skills of Venetian artisans from the late 1800s, making it a valuable piece of African trade bead history. This bead is a superb example of antique lampwork, also known as wound glass, created specifically for trade in Africa.
Size: 18 mm x 16 mm
Condition: Excellent
These Venetian glass trade beads played a significant role in West African history, particularly in Ghana, where they were used for trade and as cultural symbols of wealth and status. Lampwork beads were carefully crafted by winding molten glass around a metal rod, a technique perfected by Venetian artisans over centuries. The trade beads were not only highly prized by the African communities but also served as a key medium of exchange and storytelling across the continent.
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