Antique Venetian Micro Seed Bead Metallic Copper #1 (16/0)

Antique SVC Venetian Metallic Micro Seed Beads — Copper #1

Genuine Venetian micro seed beads from old Società Veneziana Conterie warehouse stock, in Copper #1. This is a deep, antiqued copper — a dark chocolate-bronze base with warm coppery glints that emerge where light catches the surface. It is not the bright, polished copper of new-plated modern beads; this reads as aged metal, with the burnished, oxidized character of a copper piece that has developed decades of natural patina.

The metallic finish is a surface treatment over glass, and its luster varies subtly bead to bead — some beads flash brighter copper highlights while others sit darker and more subdued. This variation is natural to the production method and gives massed beadwork a rich, textured metal quality rather than a flat, uniform plating. As with all metallic surface finishes, prolonged friction and skin contact can wear the treatment over time; for heirloom work, handle as you would any coated antique bead.

A note on sizing: this lot's original sample card was marked 13/0, but measurement puts it at 1.49–1.51mm — firmly within SVC 16/0 production tolerances, within our micro seed bead class (16/0 and finer). Original SVC size designations were assigned relative to the factory's own range and do not always align with measured dimensions; we disclose both so buyers can match with confidence. Antique beads are measured from original stock and sizing is approximate; dimensions may vary between lots. We recommend pre-sorting before count-critical work.

For restoration and traditional beadwork, this colorway pairs the warmth of the brown family with the visual weight of metal at glass-bead scale. It sits naturally alongside antique metal-bead and cut-steel work where a warm tone is called for, and matches the aged copper tones frequently found in period beadwork that a bright modern copper would overwhelm. Browse our full SVC metallic and brown inventory to compare against your reference material — this colorway is available in additional sizes.

Note: Due to their extremely small size, these micro beads may not be suitable for all beading projects. We recommend using a beading tray and fine beading needle for best results.