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Bulgarian Curiosities


ann

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Well, I finally managed to get a couple of those crazy Bulgarian "circus target-shooting" marbles for a price I was willing to pay. Not Leighton, transitional, or ground-pontil prices. Will report when they come.

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I'm sure they are new, too. I just don't know how new. So far I'm inclined towards the 1950s, maybe the 60s or 70s. Could be later of course. But I can just hear some shifty guy saying to a small-time glassworker:

"Hey, I need a bunch of colorful marbles for a circus / carnival target game, Can you make me a bunch?"

Whatcha mean by a bunch?

"Well, like a bucket full?"

Or maybe it's just because my gentleman friend's maternal grandfather was a Gypsy animal trainer with a traveling circus during the 1950s, in Austria, so I'm partial to stories like that.

Anyhow, they're bound for my Cabinet of Curiosities . . .

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If you go look at this post:

http://marbleconnection.com/topic/17127-marbles-from-bulgaria/?hl=bulgaria

I posted pictures of an email I received asking if I wanted to buy marbles from Bulgaria in 2012. It was the first time I had heard of them. I wish now I had bought the lot pictured in my earlier post. I think at first starting in 2012 or so some of the marbles really were older. But after selling what they had, the light bulb of greed went off and they started making new ones.

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Here is my "Bulgarian Curiosity"..it is kind of pretty in a strange sort of way. The glass is certainly very funky with a poor finish on the marble. I bought one with the weird "outie" type pontil. Has lots of bubbles.

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I have to say that the existence of "outie" pontils is interesting. First off, whether these were made in the 1950s for carnivals or recently for ripping off eBayers, the persons responsible for them clearly messed up in quality control because "outie" pontils render these useless as marbles, fake or otherwise. Since the seller claims they were purchased in bulk for carnivals, then it seems like the buyer got ripped off, or did the buyer intend on grinding these down before giving them as carnival prizes?

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The answer:

a friend thats been collecting 30 years

problem here is if you go to his feedback you can see he has been buying the marbles from supermarbles, the seller in Bulgaria.

Sad how a few bucks can turn so many folks dishonest. Of course they often have a lame excuse to make it OK to themselves.

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The answer:

a friend thats been collecting 30 years

problem here is if you go to his feedback you can see he has been buying the marbles from supermarbles, the seller in Bulgaria.

Sad how a few bucks can turn so many folks dishonest. Of course they often have a lame excuse to make it OK to themselves.

THE UP SIDE!!!! The look a HELL of a lot better than Jabos :)

I would love to have some of these...for about 1.00 a pop.....beyond that BRRTTT nope

It is sad that people are so hard up and so INEPT that they will deceive people to make a buck. For the sake of all that is moral, go give Plasma, go mow a damn yard,sell your shoes...do not lie and steal....our society is doomed ! DOOMED I TELL YOU!!!!

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These look exactly like marbles I have made before out of scrap glass. It is easy to get the bubbles.....

His auction photos show a unique glow...I have captured a glow like this many times while photographing glass in my studio....

Not all of his picks show the glow....

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Here's the auction:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-HAND-MADE-LEIGHTON-TRANSITIONAL-MARBLE-15-16-GROUND-PONTIL-/221460637652?pt=Marbles&hash=item33901527d4

Here is another pic that shows it nicely:

$_57.JPG

$_57.JPG

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