Corals .... And Questions ... And Stuff

[lstmmrbls]

I have been told that Champion and Ravenswood also made them. I believe CAC made some??

[Steph]

It's sounding like the Champs might get pushed into the Alley column.

Ann, did you see any like the Ravenswoods in the book?

I guess I could look myself.

About the CAC .... ?????

[wvrons]

Just me but i do not have a single Ravenswood that i would consider coral type like the majority of the above. I have never found one in any original Ravenswood package. I have never seen or heard of one being dug at the site. I have talked to and seen most of the owners family collections some past employees and seen no corals. So at this time i do not think Ravenswood made any coral marbles.

A big portion of the coral marbles are now being attributed to Alley. Most if not all of them from the Saint Marys location and time frame. Many of which in the past were considered Champion. There has been more recent excavating at the Saint Marys location with more attention to what is being dug. This and when Larry Alleys collection became available has attributed more especially transparent coral marbles to Alley. The more opaque ones were also in the collection of Frank Sellers another grandson of Lawrence Alley. These were attributed with Alley several years ago. Frank and Larry are first cousins. There is still a good possibility that Champion produced some of the more transparent base corals. Coral marbles has also been dug at Peltier by more than one person different locations and many years apart. I think CAC also made some corals. But what i have or believe are CAC have definate cut lines. It may take a few more years to positively seperate some of the corals which may be Alley or Champion. But more is known now than even two years ago. A big portion of all the coral marbles probably the largest portion are being attributed more to Alley every year by collectors who collect and study them regulary.

There are the Alley Exotic corals,the Alley Mountain Dew and others that have become very collectable in the last couple years. They have been selling for about $150.00 if you can find one. So far only about six to a dozen Alley Mountain Dews have been found. As usual when a more definate identification and information is known and a certian marble is named and known more. More collectors know what to look for and its history so the value goes up. Machine made marble collecting is moving ahead fast with the internet,facebook,new books,more collectors than ever before. Collectors have to try and stay updated or miss out on lots of possibilities. Maybe it is possible that you have a Alley Mountain dew in your marbles now ? More will turn up the more the information is spread.

[mibcapper]

as ron said on the dew ... a sleeper sitting there waiting to be discovered in your bag ... bill

[ann]

Oh my. No, I don't have one of those. I would remember having that one!

Thanks, Ron -- your post helped a lot.

Are the Alley Exotic Corals you refer to the type with yellow and/or orange added to the coral ribbons, like the ones shown in Larry Alley's book?

[Steph]

Great info, guys!

Just for clarification -- the ones on the right in this picture were thought to be Ravenswood. Are they also now thought to be Alley? (They're not exactly coral.)

[ann]

I believe those two are still thought to be Ravenswood -- but not considered "Corals."

Personally, I consider the colors too far off. Because of that, I never even connected them to "The Corals" until this thread, and was surprised to see them considered in the group. Then I went through the whole " . . . oh . . . well OK, I guess I could see that . . . didn't realize other people thought they were related . . . hmmm . . . I think they're kinda ugly . . . no no no musn't think that . . . I'm old, I can't deal, I'm set in my color ways, they ain't goin' with MY corals . . ."

But that's just me.

But I also think that the Coral Guys (who knew there were Coral Guys?) don't think of them as corals, either, from what they've said up ^^^ there.

Makes me wish I had gone on that coral run I contemplated a couple of years ago. Decided to just sit on the six or seven I had and pay attention.

[ann]

Ann, did you see any like the Ravenswoods in the book?

No, sure didn't.

Doesn't mean I won't look again, just in case . . .

[wvrons]

The two on the far right are Ravenswood. But like Ann i did not consider those a coral. Most of what i consider corals are green base and coral striping. Those two are also different brown(more orange)from the Blue Raven-Green Raven-Red Raven.

[Steph]

[mon]

Stunning marble. Sometimes less is more.

Cairo's answer

[Steph]

[ann]

I didn't know Cairo had one of those . . . nice!

[Steph]

I'd already forgotten Cairo had an example.  

Bump for reminder of Cairo and reminder to archive .... keeperthread.

[jeeperman]

Some days I think I know what they are, some days I just don't care and enjoy them. =}

[Steph]

[EdNargel]

Exotic Alley

[Steph]

wicked

[jeeperman]

I need one of those Ed. Very nice.

 

[jeeperman]

Here is a couple interesting marbles I had not photographed. The second is a peewee at 1/2 and the first is 9/16. The first looks as if the more pink/red color was running out. You can see it in spots only.

[Steph]

That peewee is a nice one to put at the end of the coral continuum.  

[Steph]

I have a marble which long ago I hoped was a coral ... but it really didn't come close. 

And my best guess for it was CAC.  

Need to fish that out and get opinions on it.  

[ann]

Some not-great-pictures of my one and only (so far) exotic Alley coral . . .

 

[ann]

[Steph]

Lurv.