Here's another group of trailed beads, also from my collection, that I put together over a number of years. All of these are Venetian (except for the six small plain wound turquoise-blue Chinese beads). I think that many people would also call these "wedding cake" beads—though I do not.

I think they are from later in time, are coarser in decoration and larger in size—and some have their own names already. For instance, the three larger round tabular beads are "sommerso" beads, that consist of a base of turquoise-blue and avventurina chunks, seeming to float in a watery matrix, with small trailed pink roses. Sommerso beads are typically overlaid with clear glass that may be thin or thick. I watched the manufacture of these beads at Venice in 1990 at the Moretti factory. (See the link below for an OK reference.) In addition, there are ten white beads and two larger turquoise-blue beads that feature raised trailed decorations, that, like the sommerso beads, are probably closer to the 1930s as their time of manufacture. And in-between are several avventurina filler beads.

So, while I see the similarity to wedding cake beads, I think these beads are different, later, coarser, and somewhat more common. But still very nice beads. I have also had these beads for over thirty years, just as we see them here.

Jamey