Red and Blue Beaded Rope Necklace JK Brown Collection

"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.

Provenance: JK Brown Collection

Kathie and Jerry Brown have been collecting trade beads for more than 50 years. They had a business selling them for many years, called “Thunder and Lightning.” According to Jerry, “Kathie was the lightning, and I was the thunder!” Their collecting began in 1967 when they met a Peace Corps volunteer who was selling his collection to finance a school for African children- and the Browns bought it all. Over the years, they’ve amassed thousands of stands of Venetian and other European trade beads, as well as made-in-Africa beads and jewelry. They sold at Mountain Man rendezvous and other events. Africa Direct is very proud to be the new owner of this extraordinary collection.

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