{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O126985"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O126985/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2008BT4161/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2008BT4161/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2008BT4161","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O126985/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O126985","accessionNumber":"1051:2-1904","objectType":"Beads","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"These glass beads are of the kind known as ‘trade’, ‘aggry’ or, sometimes, ‘slave’ beads. They are usually associated with West Africa but were originally created in Europe, particularly Venice, Bohemia and the Netherlands. The history of trade beads dates to the 15th century when Portuguese trading ships arrived on the coast of West Africa to exploit its many resources, including gold, slaves, ivory and palm oil. At that time, beads were a major part of the currency exchanged for people and products. The beads traded were not of a set form, but were produced according to demand, which could vary from region to region, resulting in many thousands of different designs. The cost of producing the beads declined as glassmaking technologies developed and, for Europeans, the beads provided a cheap and efficient means of exploiting African resources.\r\n\r\nThese nine beads were made in Venice in the 19th century. They are made of white glass with gilding and applied colours.","physicalDescription":"9 beads of white glass, decorated with gilding and applied colours","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Unknown","id":"A1848"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"Glass","id":"AAT10797"}],"techniques":[],"materialsAndTechniques":"Glass, gilded, with applied colours","categories":[{"text":"Black History","id":"THES48989"},{"text":"Glass","id":"THES48946"},{"text":"Slavery & Abolitionism","id":"THES49008"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"CER","id":"THES48594"},"images":["2008BT4161"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"131","id":"THES49882"},"free":"","case":"85","shelf":"7","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Beads","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Venice","id":"x29237"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"19th century","earliest":"1800-01-01","latest":"1900-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[{"object":{"text":"1051:1-1904","id":"O126984"},"association":""},{"object":{"text":"1051:3-1904","id":"O126986"},"association":""},{"object":{"text":"1051:4-1904","id":"O126987"},"association":""}],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"The donor of these beads was Moses Lewin Levin, a London bead merchant whose import-export business operated from 1839 to 1913. Most of the beads he dealt in appear to be Venetian although in 1898 the Levin Company was listed as an importer of Venetian, Bohemian and German beads. The British Museum has an important collection of glass trade beads (including some on sample cards) acquired in 1865 from Lewin Levin. (See – The History of Beads, from 30,000 BC to the Present, Lois Sherr Dubin, London: Thames & Hudson, 1987, p10.)","historicalContext":"The accessions register notes that the beads were 'made for trading'.","briefDescription":"9 glass 'trade' beads, made in Italy (Venice), 19th century, for European trade in Africa (part of set of 713 beads)","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"Glass beads\r\nEurope, particularly Venice, Bohemia (now the Czech Republic) and the Netherlands\r\n1830-1910\r\n\r\nThese glass beads are of the kind known as 'trade', 'aggry' or, sometimes, 'slave' beads. Made in Europe for use in trade in West Africa, they were given to the Museum by Moses Lewin Levin, a London bead merchant. The beads were produced according to demand, which could vary from region to region, resulting in many thousands of different designs.\r\n\r\nGlass\r\n\r\nMuseum nos. 4551:1 to 3-1901, 4552:1-1901, 4553:1-1901, 4554:1 to 3-1901, 1051:2 to 4-1904, 1054-1904","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null}}],"partNumbers":["1051:2-1904"],"accessionNumberNum":"1051","accessionNumberPrefix":"","accessionYear":1904,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":["2022NF6085"],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-16","recordCreationDate":"2006-08-10","availableToBook":false}}