Since 1291 glassmakers in Venice have worked on the island of Murano - hence the name. This plate is made bypreparing concentric rods of black and white glass, then amalgamating them with more white glass between the rods. The plate is then moulded from this stock. One of the glass rods contains the signature "M" of all such plates. My picture in the Eligible gallery shows the detail - and the subtle variation, of the plate.
