Exceptional, Large Strand of European & African Trade Beads for the West African Market

This spectacular strand of 68 beads includes beads from Europe and Africa, from ancient times to the early 20th century. The beads are a mix favoured in West Africa, and most probably the strands was assembled in Ghana. This is an extravagant and showy strand of beads that provides testament to the wealth and status of the past owners.

Beads have been collected everywhere and throughout time, but in Africa, the tradition for acquiring beads for personal adornment has a particularly long history.

A bead-by-bead description of the 68 beads in this strand is provided below. But among those included is a large Lauscha bead in excellent condition. Such beads were produced in Germany around 1870. Known as striped alley or Lauscha beads after the town in which they were produced, the beads feature swirling patterns produced using the latticino technique in which coloured rods of grass are drawn through clear glass.

Also included is a large yellow bicone Bodom or powder glass bead produced in the 19th century in Ghana, and two other related beads. These beads were produced locally from old, crushed glass by the Krobo People. The Krobo people are the largest group of the seven Dangme ethnic groups of South-eastern Ghana. A farming people, they also distinguished themselves with their elaborate bead making.

Another major bead is a large 17th century Dutch white glass ‘moon’ bead of opaline glass, prized by the Yoruba.

A Yoruba necklace that includes European-made ‘moon’ beads is illustrated in Liu (1995, p. 46).

All beads in the strand here are in very fine condition, and each has a patina commensurate with its age.

 

List prepared by Sarah Corbett:

1. Yellow glass.  No decoration,  Hebron, Palestine, called Kano beads. Ancient
2. Red glass with applied coloured lampwork lines. Venetian
3. Black glass core. Trailed lampwork decoration. Venetian, 1900
4. Black glass core with yellow trailed lampwork. Venetian, 1900
5. Red glass core with worn lampwork stripes. Venetian, 1880
6. Black glass core with yellow trailed lampwork. Venetian, 1900
7. White glass core with millefiori slices, Venetian,  1900
8. Black glass core with white trailed designs, Venetian, called zen bead, 1900
9. Black glass core with white trailed designs, Venetian, called a zen bead,  1900
10. Black glass core with white trailed designs plus applied blue eyes,  Venetian, a rarer style   1900
11. Black glass core with applied millefiori Millefiori bead, Venetian  1920
12. Pale blue glass core with trailed lampwork decoration. Venetian, a rarer style   1900
13. Green glass core with trailed lampwork decoration. Venetian, a rarer style,  1920
14. Teal glass core with trailed lampwork decoration. Venetian,  1930
15. White glass core with trailed lampwork decoration.  Venetian, 1900
16. Red glass core with worn lampwork stripes. Venetian, 1880
17. Red glass core with trailed lampwork decoration. Venetian known as a king bead.  1900
18. White glass core with millefiori slices. Venetian, 1900
19. Red glass core with worn lampwork stripes. Venetian, 1880
20. Red glass core with worn lampwork stripes. Venetian, 1880
21. Red glass core with worn lampwork stripes. Venetian, 1880
22. Black glass core with white trailed designs. Venetian, called a zen bead, 1900
23. White glass core Red and blue trailed design. Venetian called a flag bead, 1900
24. Black glass core White trailed designs.  Venetian, called a zen bead, 1900
25. White glass core Red and blue trailed design. Venetian called a flag bead, 1900
26. Black glass core with white trailed designs. Venetian, called a zen bead, 1900
27. Red glass core with worn lampwork stripes. Venetian,  1880
28. Red glass core with worn lampwork stripes. Venetian, 1880
29. Yellow glass core with lampwork stripes. Venetian, 1900
30. Black glass core with yellow trailed lampwork. Venetian,  1900
31. Black glass core with white trailed designs. Venetian, called zen bead  1900
32. Powder glass core. Black powder glass designs. Ghana. 1800s
33. White core marble bead, Germany, 1800s
34. White glass, wound glass European, often called a Yoruba moon bead, 1600s
35. Black core, yellow outer and red and green applied decoration. Akko’s bead, Ghana, 1800s
36. Black glass core with white trailed designs. Venetian, called zen bead, 1900
37. Blue glass with white glass.  Wound glass. European, often called a Yoruba moon bead, 1600s
38. Black glass core with white trailed designs. Venetian, called a zen bead, 1900
39. Red glass core with worn lampwork stripes. Venetian,  1880
40. Yellow Akoso bead, Ghana (Africa), circa 1900
41. Wound glass bead, European, circa 1800
42. Black glass core with white trailed designs. Venetian, called zen bead, 1900
43. Black glass core with lampwork glass designs. Venetian, 1900
44. Red glass core with lampwork glass designs. Venetian, 1880
45. White glass core Red and blue trailed design. Venetian called flag bead, 1900
46. Yellow glass. No decoration. Hebron , Palestine called Kano beads. Ancient
47. Red glass core with worn lampwork stripes. Venetian, 1880
48. Red glass core with worn lampwork stripes. Venetian,  1880
49. Red glass core with worn lampwork stripes. Venetian, 1880
50. Red glass core with worn lampwork stripe. Venetian, 1880
51. Red glass core with worn lampwork stripes. Venetian, 1880
52. Yellow glass  No decoration. Hebron, Palestine called Kano beads.  Ancient
53. Red glass core with worn lampwork stripes  Venetian, 1880
54. Red glass core with worn lampwork stripes  Venetian, 1880
55. Black glass core with lampwork designs Venetian, 1900
56. Green glass core with lampwork stripes  Venetian, 1900
57. Yellow glass core with lampwork eye designs  Venetian, 1880
58. Blue glass core with lampwork designs Venetian, 1900
59. Blue glass core with lampwork designs Venetian, 1900
60. Blue glass core with lampwork eye designs Venetian, 1900
61. Blue glass core with lampwork stripes Venetian, 1900
62. Black glass core with white trailed designs. Venetian, called zen bead, 1900
63. Black glass core with white trailed designs. Venetian, called zen bead, 1900
64. Mixed glass, crumb bead. Venetian end of day glass, 1920
65. Black glass core with trailed lampwork decoration. Venetian, 1920
66. Black glass core with trailed lampwork decoration. Venetian, 1900
67. White glass core with red trailed glass stripes. Venetian, 1900
68. Yellow glass. No decoration, Hebron, Palestine. Named Kano beads.  Ancient