Antique Fancy Venetian Wound Glass Trade Beads with Trail Decoration

Discover these four beautiful antique Venetian wound glass trade beads, adorned with intricate trail decoration. These fancy beads are a remarkable piece of history, once used in the African trade during the late 1800s to early 1900s. Each bead reflects the exquisite craftsmanship for which Venetian artisans were renowned.

• Size of each bead: 17 mm in length, 10 mm in diameter
• Condition: Very good, with minor decoration loss (please see photos for details)

These glass beads were skillfully created using the ancient lampwork technique, where Venetian artisans carefully wound molten glass around a metal rod. The trail decoration, applied by hand, adds a distinctive charm to each bead. Lampwork beads like these played a significant role in the African trade, particularly in Ghana and across West Africa, where they were used as currency, symbols of status, and for cultural rituals.

Explore more unique Venetian trade beads in our collections:

• Venetian Lampwork Trade Beads Collection
• Old Trade Beads Collection
• Archived Venetian Lampwork Beads