Mauritanian Glass Bottle Stopper Beads

Beautiful hand-pressed pieces in different sizes; most have a light tint of purple. Vintage bottle stoppers strung together.

A distinctive strand of traditional Mauritanian glass bottle stopper beads, hand-crafted from repurposed European glass bottle tops and necks and reworked by artisans in Mauritania. These beads are a celebrated example of West African ingenuity—transforming imported glass into wearable adornment prized in regional trade and personal ornamentation.

Each bead is individually shaped and reheated, resulting in softly rounded cylindrical and disc-like forms. The surfaces display a matte, frosted patina from age and handling, with visible air bubbles and subtle irregularities that attest to their handmade origin. The color palette—pale lavender, translucent clear, milky white, and soft green—reflects the original hues of the source bottles.

Bottle stopper beads were historically worn as necklaces and incorporated into bridal adornment and ceremonial dress. Their substantial weight and tactile presence give them a sculptural quality, while the organic variation in size and form creates a rhythmic, textural strand.

The term "Trade Beads" typically applies to beads made predominantly in Venice and Bohemia and other European countries from the late 1400s through to the early 1900s and traded in Africa and the Americas. Many of these beads have been attributed to being made in Germany, France and the Netherlands as well.

This strand is not intended to be a ready-to-wear necklace. Although the strand can be worn "as is," the raffia 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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