Offered in this lot is a Beautiful 12" African Millefiori Modern Lampwork Trade Bead Necklace featuring twenty-three (23) unique sinew strung Lampwork Trade beads, circa mid 1900s. These beads include beads of various sizes, shapes and colours. Many "African Trade Beads" were made in Italy, Bohemia, and the Netherlands and traded into Africa. The first glass beads arrived in West Africa by Europeans via the trans-Saharan trade with North Africa. used millions of beads to trade with Africans for slaves, services, and goods such as palm oil, gold, and ivory. The trade with Africans was so vital that some of the beads were made specifically for Africans. These include Millefiori and Chevron trade beads, striped melons trade beads, feather trade beads, and eye beads. Other trade beads reached Africa from India through Arab Traders. The Venetians dominated production of trade beads, especially those used in Africa. Trade beads used in Africa also go by the name slave beads because they were exchanged for slaves; this was between the sixteenth and the twentieth century. This trade bead necklace features various colours and designs, especially of "eye beads". An eye bead or na?ar (from Arabic ??????? ['nað?ar], meaning 'sight', 'surveillance', 'attention', and other related concepts) is an eye-shaped amulet believed by many to protect against the evil eye. This spectacular necklace is stunning in appearance.