Ancient and Antique wound glass beads
Many showing " squiggle " and " feather " designs .. which were created many centuries ago. Traditionally made using hot glass which is wrapped around a shaft and shaped, whilst maintaining a circular motion, with a flat paddle. The addition of one or more layers of colour to an already hot bead, are then dragged through the bead ( combing ) using the paddle's edge, forming these patterns - waves or feather patterns from lines or floral motifs from dots.
Click HERE for more Islamic beads and Prayer Strands

Ancient & Antique Translucent Red, Green & Blue Islamic and Venetian Glass
Some of the "squiggle" designs ( first used in 1720 ) are slightly faded as shown and priced as such

vws 217
7 x 8 b
blue
 £4

vws 217a
6 x 8 b
   blue
£4

vws 254
10 x 8 x 6
green £5
Sold

vws 260
8 x 5 cyl
black
£4

vws 260-02
8 x 8 b
green £6
Sold

vws 260-03
8 x 8 b
 blue  £6
Sold

vws 260-04
8 x 9 b
 blue  £6
Sold

vws 260-05
8 x 8 b
green  £6
Sold

vws 260-06
10 x 8 b
red
£5 Sold

vws 260-07
7 x 7 b
 blue
£5

vws 260-09
7 x 7 b
early
£8 Sold

vws 260-10
10 x 9 b
red
£8

vws 260-11
6 x 8 b
blue
£ 6

vws 260-12
7 x 8 b
blue
£5

Indian Copies               Venetian "Feather" Pattern Beads            Early 1800's onwards

vet 274
10 x 11
£4 Sold

vet 278
14 x 9 £3

vet 278-01
11 x 9 £4

vet 278-02
12 x 9 £4

vet 278-03
12 x 9 £4

vet 278-04
12 x 10  £4

vet 278-05
14 x 10  £4

vet 278-06
15 x 11  £4

vet 278-07
14 x 11  £4

vet 278-08
15 x 11  £4
£4 Sold

vet 278-09
15 x 11
£4 Sold

vet 278-10
14 x 10
£4 Sold

vet 278-11
9 x 9  £4

vet 278-12
17x10* £16

vet 278-13
23 x 10  £6   Sold

vet 278-14
22 x 8   £5   Sold

vet 278-15
19 x 8   £5   Sold

vet 304 V
8 x 10 £5

vet 278-16
19 x 9   £6

vet 278-17
19 x 8   £4   Sold

vet 278-19
17 x 8   £6   Sold

vet 304 a
17x17* £4

* vet 278-12 is Ancient - Click its picture for more 1000 year old original 'feather' beads
* vet 304 a is a modern bead

Key: Measurements in mm ( width along hole x diameter )  ** = with aventurine
Shape: b = barrel     bic = bicone    cyl = cylinder  c = small chip e = early production
           e = ellipsoid    sp = spherical   ta = tabular   V = variable pattern style

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