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Antique Rectangular Brick Eye Venetian Lampwork Glass Trade Beads - 1800s
Antique Rectangular Brick Eye Venetian Lampwork Glass Trade Beads - 1800s
Explore this exquisite set of five antique Venetian lampwork trade beads, also known as wound glass beads, featuring a stunning rectangular "brick eye" design with intricate trail decorations. These beads were handcrafted in Venice and were part of the African trade in the late 1800s to early 1900s, making them highly collectible pieces of history.
- Size: 10-11 mm X 6 mm X 6 mm
- Condition: Excellent
The lampwork technique, also known as wound glass bead-making, was a skillful process developed by Venetian artisans. Glass was heated and wound around a mandrel, then carefully shaped and decorated. These beads were highly valued and played a key role in the trade between Europe and Africa, particularly in Ghana and other West African regions. Trade beads like these were used as currency, in ceremonies, and as symbols of status and wealth.
Collectors of antique beads and African trade history will appreciate the rarity and beauty of these rectangular "eye" beads, a testament to the craftsmanship of Venice and the cultural exchange facilitated by trade.
View our Venetian Lampwork Trade Beads collection
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