9/0 RARE Cornflower blue colorfast antique Murano glass Venetian variegated seed beads vintage Italian Old Sioux Blue

10 gram package. These gorgeous beads will not fade or change color. You can see the natural variations in shade that are a special feature of the beads.

These beads were labelled "Old Stock" and "Old Sioux Blue" and were made in the late 19th century. They are perfect for restoring old beadwork or crafting new creations.

Master craftsmen painstakingly manufactured these beads 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. These beads can be strung with a Size 15 John James needle (not included).

Nothing shown in the photos other than the beads is included in your purchase.