Millefiori Glass Beads Strand

Product Description: This is a strand of Millefiori glass beads.

Specifications:

• Origin: Venice
• Size:
  • Number of Beads: 112
  • Length: 117cm
  • Main Bead Size: 31mm x 17mm

Special Notes:

As this is an antique item, it may have some scratches, cracks, or chips.

About Millefiori:

Era: Late 1800s to early 1900s

Origin: Venice

Technique: Mosaic application method or mosaic folded bead

In Africa, these beads are known as Chachaso. The term "Millefiori" means "a thousand flowers" in Italian. When exclusive trade with the East collapsed and Bohemian glass dominated the European market, Venice's trade economy suffered greatly. As a countermeasure, Venice produced richly decorated glass, with Millefiori glass being a prominent example. Merchants who were already trading beads with Africa created cylindrical glass beads from Millefiori glass and transported them to Africa as trade beads.