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Strand of Dutch trade beads (moon beads)

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Mali

Lenght: 43 cm

Weight: 189 gr

Units: 62

BC0417-041
€135.00


A superb strand of Dutch glass trade beads popularly called "moon beads" due to the beautiful opalescent reflection they produce to the light. They were among the trade beads produced in the Netherlands in the 18th century and were widely popular among the Dogons in Mali and also in Ethiopia.

 

The Dutch beadmaking industry seems to have a short but intense history. Since the SXVI, large quantities of glass beads were produced in the city of Amsterdam thanks to the incorporation of Venetian beadmakers who brought in the necessary techniques and tools to supply Dutch merchants in the incipient trade with the colonies in Africa, Asia and the New World.

 

We use the term trade beads to refer to the European made glass beads that were used by the European merchants and explorers in the trade in Africa as from the 15th century and continued during their colonial expansion.

 

The history of trade beads in Africa takes us then to the 15th century and the arrival of the European, mainly the Portuguese, to the coasts of West Africa. The European discovered quite soon how much the people they met there fancied beads and saw they an opportunity for trade. Amongst the beads that captivated the African people most were glass beads since the techniques for their making had not yet been developed locally. The locals fell for the precious and colorful glass beads such as Venetian millefiori or chevron beads that the European traders had on offer and bartered them for commodities such as precious woods, ivory, gold and even used, ignominiously, in the slave trade. The increasing demand in Africa of European made glass beads continued quite until the first half of the 20th century and it had a boosting effect in the production in cities such as Venice which glass beads became very popular and coveted.


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