Rare Black Bicone "King" Antique Venetian Lampwork Trade Bead

Rare Antique Black Bicone "King" Venetian Glass Trade Bead with Trail Decoration

Discover the beauty and rarity of this large-sized, black bicone Venetian wound glass trade bead, adorned with intricate trail decorations. Known as the "King" bead, this exquisite piece was made in Venice in the late 1800s to early 1900s and used in the vibrant African trade.

• Size: 20 x 16 mm
• Condition: Very good, with minor decoration loss (see photos)

Crafted through the traditional lampwork technique, this bead was carefully hand-wound and decorated using molten glass. Venetian glassmakers were renowned for their expertise, creating beads that became integral to African trade networks, especially in Ghana and across West Africa, where these beads held immense value and cultural significance. Trade beads like this one were exchanged for goods and became symbols of wealth, status, and connection between cultures.

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