Millefiori Glass Beads Strand

Product Description: This is a strand of Millefiori beads.

Specifications:

• Country of Origin: Venice
• Size:
  • Length: 95cm
  • Main Bead Size: 9mm x 14mm

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

About Millefiori:

Period: Late 1800s to early 1900s

Origin: Venice

Technique: Mosaic application or mosaic folding

In Africa, these beads are known as "Cha Cha So." The term "Millefiori" means "a thousand flowers" in Italian. Following the collapse of exclusive trade with the East, Venice was heavily impacted by the dominance of Bohemian glass in the European market. As a countermeasure, Venice created a variety of decorative glass, with Millefiori glass being a prime example. Traders who were already engaged in bead trade with Africa fashioned cylindrical glass beads from this Millefiori glass and transported them to Africa as trade beads.