Ric Posted February 27, 2010 Report Share Posted February 27, 2010 (edited) Alley's Blue Skies and Blush Lines: Honoring Alley's Blue LadyR. Shepherd, B. McCaleb, B. Burkhart, and R. Anthony Alley's Blue Lady is the venerable matriarch of Alley's Blue Skies and Blush Lines. The marble was made by Alley Agate when they were located in Pennsboro, West Virginia, and it was named by Ron Shepherd at the Sistersville Marble Festival in the Fall of 2008. The base color on these classics is a sky blue variation and the striping is a lavender pastel. The striping ranges from thick and dark to thin and light. Notice how a rich blue color outlines the thick dark stripe on the first example below, while white accentuates the lighter lavender striping on the others. Alley's Blue Skies Line Ron Shepherd named Alley's Blue Skies Line. Marbles in the Line prominently display the sky blue colors typical of the classic Blue Ladies, with the best examples showing a significant amount of white. Sometimes the blue is found as the base color. At other times, it appears over white or together with other colors. Several examples are shown below, along with two Blue Ladies, displayed as honored guests. Named examples include classic Blue Skies, a Spring Sky and a Blood Red Sky.* Named Marbles from The Blue Skies Line Blue Skies are the namesakes of the Blue Skies Line. Each displays a sky blue color typical of the classic Blue Ladies. The best examples show a significant amount of white striping. Four variants are shown below. It should be noted that Champion, Heaton, Jabo and Vacor all produced marbles with a color combination of blue and white. Therefore, careful examination and comparison to known examples may be required to discern Alley's from those produced by other companies. Stormy Skies prominently display the classic sky blue colors of the Blue Skies Line, with the best examples showing a significant amount of white. Each also displays one or more additional colors, which are often dark and reminiscent of stormy skies. For example, those below display gray, dark brown or black striping. Alley's Blush Line Bill McCaleb named Alley's Blush Line to honor the Blue Ladies, which are the first marbles celebrated for displaying Alley's Blush. The pastel colors of the Blush Line range from pinks to lavenders to purples. Marbles in this Line can vary from transparent to opaque. Several examples are shown below, together with the two classic Blue Ladies, appearing for an encore. Marbles in the Blush Line earn the designation "Lady" by displaying the same lavender striping as the classic. Named examples include a Lady Tater, Lady Gaia, Opal Lady, Ebony Blush and Kurly Blush.* Named Marbles from The Blush Line Opal Ladies have a highly translucent base with sparse wisps of white or color inside. Some may appear opalescent. All display the lavender striping of the classic Blue Lady, mostly on the surface. Notice the yellow-tinted base of the first example below, and the opalescent appearance of the second. Lady Taters display the Blue Lady's Blush on a Tater Bug's base. Like Tater Bugs, the base of these marbles can vary, with more desirable examples displaying a fully developed pattern and additional color. The example in the top row, below, is flanked by a classic Blue Lady and a Tater Bug. The latter type was named by Sam Hogue because their colors and patterns reminded him of potato bugs. * More photos, names, and descriptions for some of the marbles shown are Forthcoming, and will be added to this post when available. Edited February 14, 2014 by Steph Restoring pictures Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steph Posted February 27, 2010 Report Share Posted February 27, 2010 Gorgeous. Great info. Thank you very much for sharing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lstmmrbls Posted February 27, 2010 Report Share Posted February 27, 2010 I wish I still had a bunch of them! Those names always drive up the prices!!!!!! Peace,Galen NHA lfetime member Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delbert Posted February 28, 2010 Report Share Posted February 28, 2010 Bottom row, 2nd from the left...I just scored one of those in a handful from an antiques mall. The base glass is a very mild pink and the swirl is that translucent emerald green. Mine isn't wet mint like that one, but it's clearly from that line. Thanks for the pics. Those are some beauties. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wvrons Posted February 28, 2010 Report Share Posted February 28, 2010 If you find a handful,you know how to reach me. I am still buying them,when i can find them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarbleEd Posted February 28, 2010 Report Share Posted February 28, 2010 I've been away for a while. I'm glad that naming marbles is back in vogue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glangley Posted February 28, 2010 Report Share Posted February 28, 2010 Great examples, and now I know that some of these pinkish mibs are not Jabo's. Thank you very much for the pics! On second thought, mine look more champion with a blush of pink, yellow - muted yellow swirls. But I do have two with that blush with the same green alley swirling. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
triker Posted February 28, 2010 Report Share Posted February 28, 2010 We are going to call this one Opal Lady! Bruce Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ric Posted February 28, 2010 Author Report Share Posted February 28, 2010 I just scored one of those in a handful from an antiques mall. The base glass is a very mild pink and the swirl is that translucent emerald green . . . That would be a nice find, Delbert. Could you show us a picture of it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ric Posted February 28, 2010 Author Report Share Posted February 28, 2010 Great examples, and now I know that some of these pinkish mibs are not Jabo's . . . Hey Gary, I'm glad you enjoyed the post. You are correct that not all pinkish mibs are Jabos. On the other hand, they sure made a lot of them with that pinkish base. And if I am not mistaken, they also made some transparent ones with pink swirling inside too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mibcapper Posted February 28, 2010 Report Share Posted February 28, 2010 We are going to call this one Opal Lady! Bruce archive it bruce .. ... bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glangley Posted February 28, 2010 Report Share Posted February 28, 2010 Definitely save this one, it really needs to be in a book somewhere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delbert Posted February 28, 2010 Report Share Posted February 28, 2010 Great examples, and now I know that some of these pinkish mibs are not Jabo's. Thank you very much for the pics! On second thought, mine look more champion with a blush of pink, yellow - muted yellow swirls. But I do have two with that blush with the same green alley swirling. Yes, that one you posted in the ID forum looks like the one I pointed out. I responded to the thread that I had just gotten one like the one you showed. Cool color combo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delbert Posted February 28, 2010 Report Share Posted February 28, 2010 If you find a handful,you know how to reach me. I am still buying them,when i can find them. OK, if I find more, I'll trade for some Champions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delbert Posted March 1, 2010 Report Share Posted March 1, 2010 Here are a few pics of the one I meant: Here are a couple of pics of the handful from the mall: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
triker Posted March 1, 2010 Report Share Posted March 1, 2010 I should have said that it is the same type marble as Ric and Bill posted on the top row last one on the right. Thanks, Bruce Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ric Posted March 1, 2010 Author Report Share Posted March 1, 2010 Hey Delbert, The construction of the marble you showed looks considerably different than the construction of the marble in the original post, doesn't it? It's also difficult to discern the colors from the pictures, so . . . ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ric Posted March 1, 2010 Author Report Share Posted March 1, 2010 We are going to call this one Opal Lady! Bruce And for that, I'll yodel - OpalllllllLadyhooo! O.K., that was lame. Thanks for the picture, Bruce. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wvrons Posted March 1, 2010 Report Share Posted March 1, 2010 Delbert,no blush,keep searching. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glangley Posted March 1, 2010 Report Share Posted March 1, 2010 Not sure if the blue and green are alleys, but I think I may have found a blush with yellow. And the one on the end is white based, with green and in the green or with the green is hairline brown. Also, this other pic has a blue with white that appears to be an alley blue sky, maybe. It was hard to get the white to pop in the pic. I am on the money or still out in left field chasing butterflies? lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wvrons Posted March 2, 2010 Report Share Posted March 2, 2010 The yellow and pink does not look Alley. The blue/greens look Alley and the Blue/white is a Blue Skies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ric Posted March 2, 2010 Author Report Share Posted March 2, 2010 The original post has been updated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glangley Posted March 2, 2010 Report Share Posted March 2, 2010 Thanks guys, it's always fun for me to actually find something here in my meager collection that the big dogs are posting about. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ric Posted March 10, 2010 Author Report Share Posted March 10, 2010 Original post updated 3/9/2010 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BuckEye Posted March 10, 2010 Report Share Posted March 10, 2010 Is this alley?, I bought it as a coral, but i think it might fit into this category. Help! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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