Marble

German glass makers, working in the 19th century, created each onionskin marble by hand. The center of an onionskin consists of clear glass surrounded by a layer of thin ribbons and bands of colored glass, and these bands are trapped in an outer layer of clear glass. The colored ribbons and bands are mottled, and it is the mottling effect that gives the onionskin its unique character. The colors of onionskins are swirled or lobed as in sections. The more colors in an onionskin mean more work for the glass maker.