Pink Dice European Trade Beads

This strand is a unique example, as no two are exactly alike. Your strand will be similar to the pictures provided.

While it can be worn as is, the raffia holding it together is not durable and may break with use. To ensure longevity, we recommend restringing the beads before wearing.

Pink European Trade Beads are exclusive beads made in Venice, Bohemia, and other European countries from the late 1400s to the early 1900s and traded in Africa and the Americas. Some were also crafted in Germany, France, and the Netherlands. In the mid 1800s to early 1900s, millions of trade beads were exchanged in Africa by Venetian traders, with the majority manufactured by J.F. Sick and Co and Moses Lewin Levin.

The rise of Pink European Trade Beads occurred in the late 1960s, coinciding with their export from Africa to the United States and Europe. This period saw the term "Trade Beads" gain widespread usage and it continues to be associated with these beads today. During the Hippie era, millefiori beads, also known as "Love Beads", were fashionable and often featured in necklaces with peace symbols. As the demand for these vintage beads grew, certain bead types were given monikers such as "Russian Blues", "Dutch Donuts", and "King Beads". Although some of these names, like "Lewis and Clarke" beads, hold no particular significance, they do identify a specific variety of bead.

Currently, Pink European Trade Beads are highly sought after and well-respected by collectors. These beads are widely collected worldwide and require hunters to venture deeper into Africa to obtain them. However, some styles that were once abundant have become scarce over the last 5 years. A variety of trade bead exhibits can be found at esteemed institutions such as the Museum of Mankind, the Pitt River Museum, the Royal Museum of Central Africa, the Murano Museum of Glass, the Tropical Royal Institute, the Bead Museum, and the Picard Trade Bead Museum, among others.

Length (in): 26.0 including raffia
Bead size: 4.5-5mm

149570