Trade Bead Necklace Ruth Flynn 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: Ruth Flynn Collection

Africa Direct has bought a wonderful collection of beads and trade bead necklaces designed and made by Ruth Flynn. Ruth says, I first fell in love with African beads when my middle child (of 5!) decided at age 13 to spend a semester going to school in Bamako, Mali, and live with my sister who was there with the World Bank. Africa Direct provided so many opportunities for me to learn about beads and make my own necklaces. I wore African bead necklaces almost every day of my career as a lawyer in Washington, DC. "