I don't have the Picard book handy at the moment, but I will bet you have picked-out the beads I referred to when I wrote that Gabriel's bead is SIMILAR to some Venetian beads.

Among West African beads, made from recycled glass, I cannot think of any that have the swirled linear pattern seen in conjunction with Gabriel's bead. This is the main feature I refer to above, as copying Venetian beads.

Once again, if I can see the millefiori decoration more closely, I will have a better idea of what this bead may be. But, at the moment, I am inclined to doubt a West African (Krobo) origin. Gabriel's revelation that the bead has a black perforation deposit further suggests it may be an Indian bead, and certainly NOT a Venetian bead, nor an African bead.

Jamey