Antique / Ancient Millefiori Glass Trade Bead, Stratified Eye Bead, Swivel Fob Pendant

Cache Antiques is introducing an exciting new chapter in our range of antique jewellery, featuring antique trade beads with bespoke settings by our artisans in Java. Please see our website for a more extensive description.

This particular series showcases antique Indonesian eye beads produced using the millefiori method, which was created during the Hellenistic to Roman period. In particular, we hand-selected the largest, most interesting beads to mount in swivel fob settings, showcasing every facet of these beads to best advantage while preserving their historical integrity.

Eye beads of this type have been found which date to 1500 BC, and they were produced approximately up to the fourteenth century; these can be estimated to be produced circa 1000 to 1400 AD. It should be noted that scientific analysis of beads recovered from 10th century shipwrecks indicate that two major glass production centres in the medieval world were West Asia and South Asia. The beads are ancient and their condition is remarkable considering nature of material and age; as each bead is unique, please refer to pictures for description.

This particular listing is for a swivel fob pendant featuring a stratified millefiori eye bead with white and cobalt details. This bead not only showcases unique hand-rolled characteristics to each segment, but has a particularly rich, almost indigo depth of colour. The setting is sterling silver and made to measure by our team of artisans, and is marked 925 on the bail.

Price marked at $480AUD.
Measurements: Eye bead is ovoid in form and approximately measures 1.7cm in diameter. Total pendant height approx. 2.6cm.
Bead is in excellent antique condition. Patina and fleabites to glass commensurate with antiquity of bead, but bead integrity very good.