Bohemian Mixed Glass Trade Beads 30inch

30-inch strand of Bohemian mixed glass trade beads featuring a variety of colors, shapes, and finishes, showcasing traditional European glassmaking techniques. These beads reflect the long history of Bohemian production, known for their quality craftsmanship and wide distribution through the historic trade bead networks across Africa and the Americas. Ideal for jewelry making, collecting, or decorative use, each strand offers a unique and varied assortment.
"Trade Beads" refer to beads primarily produced in Venice, Bohemia, and other European countries from the late 1400s to the early 1900s, traded in Africa and the Americas. The peak of this trade occurred from the mid-1800s to the early 1900s, with the Venetians dominating production. J.F. Sick and Co. and Moses Lewin Levin played significant roles as bead brokers/importers. The beads gained renewed popularity in the late 1960s when exported from Africa to the U.S. and Europe. The term "Trade Beads" became widely used, and they were also known as "Love Beads" during the Hippie era. As demand grew, specific names like "Russian Blues" and "Dutch Donuts" emerged, contributing to the beads' collectability. Today, these beads are highly sought after, with some styles becoming rarer as African traders venture deeper into the continent to find them.

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