these are original hanks of small seed beads ("conterie")ready for the market. They were made in the '50s or '60s by the Societą Veneziana per l'Industria delle Conterie. Threading these hanks was a typical cottage work for women until the'60s, and it was typical of the popular district of Venice to see in the small roads these women with 40-60 long neddles threading "conterie" kept in a wood tray.
Giorgio