Here is a showcase devoted to the production of Ercole Moretti & F.lli, Murano, from 1911.
Giorgio

a showcase with sample cards of the Società Veneziana per l'Industria delle Conterie, first half of XX Century.

One of the three showcases with a collection of Venetian necklaces for the Western market from the first half of XX Century. This section of the exhibit underlines the different aesthetics between trade beads and beads for the Western market.
Giorgio

Thanks for showing these. I quickly checked my schedule but a quick Milan weekend before the 31st is not going to happen. Did I understand correctly that there is a catalogue to accompany this exhibit? Is there any way to get one?

Yes, we made a small (60 pages) colour catalogue. It is in Italian; as we were able to print just a few copies (500) and it is selling well at the exhibit, I think we have to wait for more instructions from the hosting structure. However I could deserve copies for interested forumites: just remember that it is in Italian. After 31 may, the cost should be 10 euros+shipping. I can be more precise whithin a week or two. You can contact me at the following address: comp.perline@csaamilano.it

Ciao

Giorgio

Thank you Jamey and Carl for you appreciation. I'd like to post just a couple more of pictures. This is the portrait of a Kalabari woman from Nigeria wearing a hat adorned with Venetian blown beads. The artist is Fabio Fogliazza, and the portrait is taken from a b/w photo of the american anthropologist Joanne Eicher published in 1997.

these are original hanks of small seed beads ("conterie")ready for the market. They were made in the '50s or '60s by the Società 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

These are the smallest "conterie" (seed beads) I've seen. Medium diameter 0.6 mm, perforatione 0.3 mm. A couple of years ago I saw a bag, possibly end XIX Century,made with similar beads: when touched it felt like silk.I don't think they were ever used as trade beads.
Giorgio

This sample card is not on exhibit, but just published in the catalogue. I saw it in the collection of Corning Museum of Glass last year. It seems from Sick of Amsterdam; it has three notes at its margins, written with a pencil:Kumasi, 12.10.1935; Amsterdam 31.10.1935; Venedig 15.4.1936. The five beads are Ashante powder glass beads: it looks as they were sent to Venice to be copied.
Giorgio

Dear Giorgio.

I have also seen this card at the Corning Museum. Since the card is made for bead sales, my interpretation is that these are African-made beads that were bought in enough quantity to be resold in Europe (or wherever). I think it is very likely that African beads were copied at Venice (and possibly other European industries). The beads speak for themselves. But this sample card does not speak to that topic. Let us remember that places such as Venice and Amsterdam were clearing houses for many sorts of beads—not just glass beads, and not just local beads. Amsterdam would have sold many Venetian beads 100 to 300 years ago. Venice still sells Czech, Chinese, and Indian beads.

Jamey

Dear Jamey, your point of view is interesting, and I reflected about it. The reasons for which I think they're beads to be copied in Venice are the following: 1) they were too coarse for the European market: the Venetian production for the western market and the one for the "rest of the world" differed significantly according to a better care in making beads and in an accurate polishing for beads for the western market. 2)Venice itself at those times sold beads mainly through foreign companies and, as far as I know (I'm not an authority of course) Venetian beadmakers were interested to sell their own products, and shops in Venice sold at least European made beads, expecially Czech. To me it not yet clear how many connections there were in the 20's and '30s between Bohemian and Venetian glassmakers, glasscutters etc., but I find difficult to think to an "ante litteram" ethnic bead commerce which came much later than the '30s, and in Venice developed just a little, but not significantly, in last years. It's true that from the '80s Indian beads were to be found in Venice: in 1985 I was so ignorant to buy as an old Venetian millefiori an Indian made necklace just near San Marco Square. But this kind of commerce, like as new Chinese chevrons sold as old Venetian chevrons, is typical of the new touristic waves from the '80s. 3)Venetian beadmakers wanted to sell their own mass productions: labour cost was very low, and this signify a lot in hand made production; they could compete with local production in Ghana owing to the typically mass production-oriented
bead industry.
I would highly appreciate your opinion about this.

Giorgio

Amico Giorgio,

Your reply is somewhat complicated, and I'm not sure I always follow your point--so I have not answered prematurely.

My first reply would be this: can you think of any other instance in which a "sample card" has been made with the intent of providing beads to be copied? As far as I know, sample cards solely served to provide bead sellers with examples of beads they could purchase for resale. In point of fact, sample cards now provide a bead historian with a look at past productions of the company involved, and demonstrates what beads were made at the same time(s), (though the intent was not originally to provide historical information).

That the beads may be "too coarse for the European market," is a judgement. Perhaps the card was not made for the European market (!), but was made for export purposes, such as MANY cards were made. Perhaps the seller took a chance that some audience would be intrigued by "primitive foreign beads" in any of several markets—including in Europe. (It might be that the attempt flopped, because—as you say—the beads might have been too coarse to inspire much interest. But still, the attempt may have been made to market these beads.) Let's remember, for instance, that Picasso made "primitive" African art an international celebrity in the early 20th C., and instigated many people to become interested in it and to collect it.

These are my thoughts at the moment.

Be well. Jamey

It just occured to me that perhaps the Sick Co. may have literally traded the Krobo either Venetian beads for Krobo made beads, or perhaps batches of glass (in the form of cane, perhaps?) for use in making their powder glass beads. But if that agreement happened, it seems it would have been documented. Interesting! To have sample cards would imply to me an ability to at least place orders with the Krobo.

Giorgio, many thanks for posting about this fine bead show in Milan!

Hello Giorgio,

Thank you again for this thought provoking sample card.

If I were to see this sample card with no information my thought would be this card was intended to show samples of beads for sale.

Notice the card number and the catchy title of "Real Aggrey Beads". "Aggrey" beads were thought to have medicinal purposes and magical powers. What a good selling point.

(NOTE: beads on sample card are not what one would consider "Aggrey" (Aggry)beads.)

BUT, it is possible for me to agree with you also. Perhaps these beads were applied to this card, with all of the pertinent information, for samples to make other beads. I find the dates and places interesting. Why Kumasi in 1935 and Amsterdam in 1935 and then Venice (Venedig) in 1936?

Your strongest point was the reference that these beads were too rough to be sold by the Dutch and Venetians. Was there an "African Revival" going through Europe around this time? Right after the "Egyptian Revival"?

Best regards,

Carl

What about the idea that these type of cards were used by the "Traveling Salesmen" picking up sample beads from the cultures they were doing business with and having an ample supply of these card stock blanks, making field notes for future research into the types of beads that are popular with said culture, in order to make beads that would be comparable substitutes? Gathering cards with local beads and making notations would seem like an easy way of conducting the market research of the time, it sure beats bringing home a sack or strands of beads for later analysis! Just my thought, Thomas
PS thanks for the posts

Indeed, Jamey, these beads are from a big sack which was to be discharged as the content was exchanged for sand. It was found by Arianna Giuman, a young lady living in Murano, whose family took over an old, small glass factory. She told me a tale about making so fine canes: they were drawn vertically instead of orizontally as usual. I spoke with many learned (in glassmaking) people in Murano, and all of them told me it was just a tale. Months ago I found an old man who told me the same history: he saw vertically drawing canes at the Società Veneziana per l'Industria delle Conterie, whose factory was more than 20 metres high.
After some researches, Gianni Moretti, of E.Moretti & F.lli from Murano, discovered that a cousin of him many decades ago bought from the Società Conterie, and never used, a machine to vertically draw canes for beads like these.

Ciao,
Giorgio

At the Corning Glassworks in New York, there is a tall building, where canes are pulled vertically. So it is not an unheard-of approach.

Jamey

They were worn on hats as in your image as well as robes and vests. Thanks again for showing these.

Yes Carl, you're right.The history about these beads, as reported by Joanne Eicher, is funny. One of these beads, locally called "ila" was hang at the cradle of a baby, Seleye Fulbara. The bead went lost in the den of a crab, and the baby should has been given on adoption. But the very day the baby should change family, the crab throw the "ila" out of his den, and the baby could stay with his parents. When adult, he became very rich, and was called Jack Rich or Jackreece; he wanted to buy a lot of expensive "ila" in the very far town where they were made.Indeed he come back with a lot of "ila", and from time to time he used to show his richness broking some of them with his feet. Among Kalabari of his region, "ila" beads were deserved just to people belonging to Jackreece lineage. The photo shows a couple of "ila", Venetian blown beads, in the same mount as seen in the hat of the Kalabari woman of the portrait: I got them in Ghana a couple of years ago, but they can easily come from Nigeria.

Giorgio

I photographed this Jack Reese belt from Nigeria at The Bead Museum a few years back. The photo shows one end of the belt—it being five horizontal lengths of blown beads flanked by Venetian lampwork beads, held together with spacing bars, and with button embellishments.

JDA.

Thank you Jamey. I was really convinced that these beads were from Venice according to some quotations from articles I read years ago and that in this very moment I don't remember. I'll look for them and check. Thank you again,
Giorgio