Central or West African Necklace with Trade Beads

This attractive, wearable necklace comprises beads – glass, agate and metal – of types favoured in Central and Western Africa, possibly by the Kuba People of Congo.

The large central bead is a chevron glass bead from Murano, in the Venetian lagoon, probably dating to the 19th century. The ends have been re-ground to give the bead a more spherical shape and to reveal more of the inner layers.

The necklace includes beautiful red-white glass heart beads that most probably were manufactured in Venice before 1900. It also has cylindrical carnelian beads – these show their age with old chips and so on but are characterful.

The necklace has a later (more stable) catch.