Trade Beads Venetian Millefiori 3 Flat Sided

Flat Sided Venetian Millefiori Trade Beads Lot of 3

SOLD This Bead Lot comes with three Flat Sided Antique Millefiori Trade Beads with abstract designs.  They measure about 35 mm long and 10 mm wide with 3 mm holes. You get 3  Beads in this lot as pictured.  They will make an ideal addition to your next project.  Their flat sides are an unusual feature for glass trade beads. One of a Kind!
Shop for more Trade Beads! 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.  Today, collectors and jewelry makers highly prize Venetian millefiori trade beads for their historical significance, aesthetic appeal, and craftsmanship. They often use them in contemporary jewelry designs or incorporate them into art and craft projects.

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!

Categories: BeadsTrade Beads

SKU: 2222-002-964

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