This is Italian Bead cane. Chevron beads have been around since the 1400's. 

Traded worldwide and especially in African, also America.

To make this bead one would get a gather of glass. Blow in a bubble. Plunge the glass into a tapered STAR mold. He would reheat the glass & pick up another layer. Repete mold process. Last layer left alone (Usually blue)

The gather was reheater and another worker would often attach a rod to the glass & they would pull the Ball into a long thin stick sometimes measuring up to 50 meters. The glass was cut to transport length. Taken to cutters and shapers on using primitive machinery to cut shape grind and polish the beads. The can still have original OLD Dust & dirt but can be easily cleaned. Some want it that way.