19th C. African Glass Trade Bead Necklace, Moon Beads

**First Time At Auction**

North & West Africa, 19th century CE. A collection of about 110 glass beads strung together on a modern cord as a necklace. Although their precise age remains uncertain, this type of bead was used for trade in the 1600s and the late 1800s between Europe and Africa. The beads are a variety of sizes, and it is unclear if they were collected from the same region- but they are often referred to as "moon beads" because of their coloration. The largest are opaque, and some of the smaller beads are semi-translucent with lilac and opalescent hues- these beads could be restrung as one desired. Size of strand doubled: 30" L (76.2 cm); largest bead: 0.9" L x 0.7" W (2.3 cm x 1.8 cm)

Provenance: private Manhattan, Illinois, USA collection, acquired before 2000; ex-J.L Gasnier collection

All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.

A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.

We ship worldwide to most countries and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience.

#184012
Condition Report: Chips and nicks to beads. Some pitting and light encrustations. Strung in modern times on a modern cord.