Iridescent Peach Cubed Bohemian Trade Beads

The term “Trade Beads” refers to beads produced mainly in Venice and Bohemia, as well as other European countries such as Germany, France, and the Netherlands, from the late 1400s through the early 1900s. These beads were traded extensively throughout Africa and the Americas, with their peak production occurring from the mid-1800s to the early 1900s. Venetian makers dominated the market, while major dealers included J.F. Sick & Co. of Germany and Holland and London-based importer Moses Lewin Levin, active from 1830 to 1913.

Interest in trade beads was revived in the late 1960s when they were exported from Africa to the United States and Europe, becoming especially popular during the Hippie era, when millefiori beads were known as “Love Beads.” As collecting grew, many bead types acquired names such as “Russian Blues” or “Dutch Donuts,” some folkloric but descriptive. Today, trade beads are highly collectible, featured in major museum collections worldwide, and increasingly rare as supplies diminish.

Photo is an example. Yours will be similar. You are purchasing one.

This strand is not intended to be a ready-to-wear necklace. Although the strand can be worn "as is," the string holding it together is not durable and may break with use. For this reason, we recommend that you restring the beads before wearing them.

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