Janna,

      The Marly is the flat area of the plate rim.  It commonly is the area
that was decorated prior to the development of transfer printing.  It is
defined as follows in Edwin Atlee Barber's The Ceramics Collectors'
Glossary (1914 reprinted in 1967 by De Capo Press, New York)

page 77
      "MARLY OF MARLI.  --  The flat, or curved, part of a plate between
the center, or cavetto, and the edge."


George L. Miller
URS Corporation
561 Cedar Lane
Florence, New Jersey