Mikie_T Posted October 20, 2017 Report Share Posted October 20, 2017 When I first started collecting marbles I thought I only wanted the older vintage marbles. Then I started to warm up to the makers that were producing new marbles. I first discovered Vacors and then next came Jabos. I liked the Jabos mostly because of the swirls. Here is some of my 2004 batch of Jabos. It looks like the "fold" is common in their 2004 batch. I just noticed this trait in some I just bought that were advertised as vintage. More studying to do. Here are some 2004 Jabos..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikie_T Posted October 20, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 20, 2017 A few more.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikie_T Posted October 20, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 20, 2017 more views of the red and green..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikie_T Posted October 20, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 20, 2017 One thing I noticed when I got these "straight from the factory" marbles was that almost EVERY one had a moon on it. Like the Jabo company let their marbles just fall onto one another causing the chipped spots. I got a sour taste in my mouth for Jabos after that. I figured marbles straight from the factory should be pristine and not damaged...... oh well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steph Posted October 20, 2017 Report Share Posted October 20, 2017 Jabos are famous for their little white hit marks. I don't remember moons but the little white marks just became to be expected. The contract runs did get quite a lot of moons if you had them shipped. I got boxes from a couple of the Jabo Tribute runs and spent long time being sad about the hits. But not all had it, so I have some stellar keepers, and in general I finally learned to love 'em warts and all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikie_T Posted October 20, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 20, 2017 Yep, I might be over exaggerating the size of the marks on mine. You are right Steph, more like little "hits". I know I was mad when I got them and didn't go back for more...... I have seen some listed on the bay that look really nice and wet. Maybe a second look is in order. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Royal3 Posted October 27, 2017 Report Share Posted October 27, 2017 Jabo used a simple system for collecting their marbles as they came off the production line - they just fell into metal five gallon bucket. While it was simple, efficient, and cheap, it did lead to those little white marks (and sometimes more) on their products. The contract run participants took a lot of counter measures to prevent such damage from occurring; below are two pictures from the first Joker run of May 2008. The first one shows the 3/4" machine cranking out hot glass and the two Jabo employees talking while tending the line. Jim King, The "J" in Joker, kneels on the left. A marble is in mid-drop into a bucket, where the Joker folks and invited participants (like me) arranged heat-proof fiberglass insulation in them to prevent damage. Later contract runs did other things like padding the steel guide rails that the marbles roll down before they reach the buckets - anything to protect their investment and improve the yield of mint marbles. As the day wore on we found we needed to actually "catch" the marbles with the insulation to prevent aall damage - that was loud, hot, sweaty work, but it was effective. Photo note - this was taken very late in the afternoon - we'd been at it since early in the morning, and it was an 18 hour run - and I was about half-dead. I'm also 100 pounds lighter now (and MUCH more handsome - but no more hair, darn it!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikie_T Posted October 27, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 27, 2017 LOL.... my hair is in a worse state than yours.... Funny how it leaves the top of our head and moves down to other areas and comes out there.... Thanks so much for that look into the Jabo marble manufacturing. Any other pics you can share? The making of marbles is fascinating! Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Royal3 Posted October 28, 2017 Report Share Posted October 28, 2017 Hey Mikie, welcome to the "folliclely challenged" club my friend. Grass never grows on a busy street, right? That's my story and I'm sticking to it. I hear you about those "other areas" - if somebody would please tell me why I lost the hair on my head but started growing it on - and out of - my ears...cosmic humor, I guess. I do have some other pictures from that run that I can post, as well as some of Mark Matthews making some marbles - maybe a torch maker as well. I'll comb through my pics and see what I can put together. I used to have them all carefully sorted and categorized until a couple of years ago when an app blew the whole file up and tossed everything into big jumbled pile. It may take a while but I'll dig'em out! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikie_T Posted October 30, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 30, 2017 Hope you can find those pics! Seeing actual pics of marbles being made is fascinating! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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