Millefiori Glass Beads Strand

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

Specifications:

• Origin: Venice
• Size:
  • Length: 115cm
  • Main Bead Dimensions: 39mm x 13mm
• Note: As this is an antique item, it may have scratches, cracks, or chips.

About Millefiori:

Era: Late 1800s to early 1900s

Origin: Venice

Technique: Mosaic application or mosaic inlay

Millefiori beads, known as "Chachachao" in Africa, derive their name from the Italian phrase meaning "a thousand flowers." Following the collapse of exclusive trade with the East and the domination of the European market by Bohemian glass, Venice faced significant economic challenges. In response, Venetian artisans created a wide variety of decorative glass, with Millefiori glass being a prominent example. Traders, already engaged in bead trade with Africa, fashioned cylindrical beads from this glass and transported them to Africa as trade beads.