Bead - Pearl sample folder

A color sample folder showcasing pearls of truly excellent quality, almost certainly intended for the African market, was produced with rather imprecise workmanship. The "Società Veneziana per l'Industria delle Conterie" was founded in 1898, bringing together the 17 most important producers of "conterie" (and other types of pearls) to avoid dangerous price competition. The "Società Veneziana per l'Industria delle Conterie" represented, until the late 1970s, the largest glassmaking industry on Murano. In 1902 the factory employed more than 1,000 workers! (the island's inhabitants at that time were about 5,500) We can reasonably approximate the date of the folder to around 1925. Dimensions of the postcard: 11x21 cm, 32 pearls