Necklace of Venetian Yellow King Beads and Rare Bida Glass Beads from Nigeria M00664
This one-of-a-kind 24" long necklace is made of yellow Venetian "King" African Trade glass beads and rare Bida glass beads from Nigeria.
The King beads used in this necklace are old, dating to the late 1800s - early 1900s. The largest king bead 19x16mm, and the Bida beads are about 12.5x8.5mm
The dark honey color glass beads which dominate this strand are about 12.5x8.5mm and appear to be from Bida, Nigeria. They are rather rare as these beads have been out of production since roughly 1950s. According to Liu (Collectible Beads, p 24), Francis (Beads of the World, p107), and others, Bida beads were the product of the unique hot glass bead industry in Africa. These were crude, dark, mandrel-wound, sparsely decorated beads, sometimes with white stripes. According to Peter Francis (Beads of the World) occasionally Bida beads were also made of melted recycled glass which produced a few more colors.
Please note that the beads are old and have traveled from afar. There are some nicks and chips and shape irregularities are expected, although the beads are generally in excellent condition for their age.
