Trade Beads- Millefiori Antique

Trade Beads- Millefiori Antique

This Trade Beads- Millefiori Antique strand comes with 21 larger beads measuring between 30 – 50 mm long.  Some are long enough to have curves. They have 5 mm diameter holes.  These striking beads showcase classic Millefiori designs in  red, white, yellow, green and blue. Their bold patterns, substantial size, and handmade character make this an eye‑catching assortment—perfect for collectors, designers, and anyone who appreciates historic Venetian glasswork.

One of a Kind!

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Venetian Millefiori Beads are one of several types of beads that we call Trade Beads. European traders often brought these beads to Africa, but they made their way to the Americas as well. Factories in Venice produced these beads beginning in the early 1800s. Artisans used canes of glass to create flowers and stripe designs. Then they molded layers of these designs around a core of solid colored glass. They then cut or broke these glass rods into beads. The result is a colorful mix of designs called Venetian Millefiori beads. Millefiori means “thousand flowers” in Italian.
Traders brought a large variety of glass beads to the Americas including Padre Beads, large round Hudson Bay trade beads, Venetian Millefiori Trade Beads, sand casted beads and others!

History of Trade Beads

From the 15th to the 20th century, traders carried European glass beads across the world. Native Americans highly desired glass beads as glass was then an unknown substance in North American. European glass beads, mostly from Venice, some from Holland and, later, from Poland and Czechoslovakia, became popular and sought after by Native Americans. Europeans realized early on that beads were important to Native Americans. Corporations such as the Hudson Bay Trading Company developed lucrative bead-trading markets with them. The Hudson Bay Trading Company was an organized group of explorers who ventured into the North American continent for trade expeditions during the 19th century.

Read about the History of Trade Beads!

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