Antique Venetian Glass African Trade Bead

This Antique Venetian Glass African Trade Bead (created more than 100 years ago in Italy for the African trade business) has a bicone shape with a feathered pattern in orange, tan, pale blue, and pale green on a smooth white surface.  It measures 1.5" (38 mm) long by 0.8125" (21mm) at the center and 0.5" (13mm) at each end.  The hole, which runs lengthwise, is uneven, measuring 0.1875" (5mm) at one end and 0.25" (6.5 mm) at the other.  There are a number of imperfections which occurred in the making of the bead -- a spot at center where the glass looks as though it were dented and pushed (photograph 3) and one irregular end (photograph 4).  These imperfections are not uncommon for this type of bead.  This Antique Venetian Glass African Trade Bead is in Very Good condition.