12/0 Red striped white opal 2-cut antique Murano glass seed beads vintage Italian Venetian

10 gram package. These are 1mm beads, the base is white opal and the stripes are dark rose. From a distance, they look like an old rose pink. There are some 12/0 seed beads mixed in with the 1mm bugles or 2-cuts.

In the early 20th century, these rare beads were painstakingly hand manufactured by master craftsmen in the fabled Societa Veneziana Conterie glass factories of Murano, Italy. The slight irregularities in size and shape are an expected and natural result of the production process, which is a lost art.

The photo of the bead card shows what one inch of each size of seed bead looks like. Modern beads typically come in sizes 6/0 (not shown), 8/0, 10/0 (not shown), 11/0, and 15/0. There is a noticeable difference among manufacturers, and the diameter/thickness ratio varies greatly in both modern and antique beads, which can cause differences of opinion in sizing. The fourth column shows the delightful variety of sizes formerly made by hand in the storied bead factories of Italy and France, all the way down to 25/0.

The third photo shows a penny for size comparison. Nothing shown in the photos other than the beads is included in your purchase.