John is showing the exact bead I referred to earlier, from the Venetian Sample Book in the British Museum (formerly at a smaller satellite museum—The Museum of Mankind—when I photographed these samples in the early 90s).

So this is the bead I would have shown too.

The colors of the star canes are like conventional modern star canes, as used for making rosetta beads, except that the conventional "red" layer, placed between two white layers and overlaid by cobalt blue (or green in some pieces), here is an opaque light purple or lavender color—this feature making the bead unique in my experience (I say with considerable surprise).

I will endeavor to show my photo of this bead, as I promised, when I can format a scan.

Jamey