Calligraphy Alleys?

[stacyw]

Can you post or point me to a view of a calligraphy Alley?

Thanks.

[Steph]

That would make an interesting topic. (hint hint ;-) Heck, no hint. I'm going to break this off as a new topic. I have the power. muwahahah

I once asked about them on Marble Mental. Back then the definition of a calligraphy marble was fairly specific but showing signs of loosening up. I personally don't know what all counts as calligraphy these days. It'll be nice to see.

[mibcapper]

chuck-mibs just sold some of the finest examples you will find a few weeks back on the bay. i don't know how to go and find them, but, those are the one's to look at. bill

[ann]

Absolutely. They were some of the best examples I've ever seen. Tried my dangdest to get them, but my best just wasn't good enough . . . sob.

[manddrakes]

chuck-mibs just sold some of the finest examples you will find a few weeks back on the bay. i don't know how to go and find them, but, those are the one's to look at. bill

From chucks_mibs auctions. Hope you don't mind Chuck.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=260654654878

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=260654644798

And a flame he was selling that was really awesome.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=260655549152

[Steph]

Thanks Mike. Curious what puts the 2nd one into the calligraphy category.

p.s., hoping someone can donate some pix to the thread. It will be a shame if folks search later for "calligraphy" and all they get are some expired links. Chuck? anyone?

[jeeperman]

Agreed, those were great examples! Some of the best I have seen. Here is a little Alley I picked up at the Seattle show a couple months ago. I would also like to hear what is the standard definition of a Calligraphy marble.

[stacyw]

Please don't laugh if I'm completly off the mark here, but does this qualify?

It's 29/32" and it was from my older ones.

excuse the lint - I just wiped it off with a tissue and took a quick pic.

[Al Oregon]

That looks like one to me.

[Steph]

Here is a photo which was posted by "lmtfi" in the calligraphy thead I started at Marble Mental in 2007:

He gave it as an example of what would have been called a calligraphy marble "back in the day". He contrasted that with the Alleys and Ravenswoods which had been posted above him.

I'll underline that part: not all the calligraphy marble examples posted were Alleys.

Overall there were some quite different looking marbles given as examples. The moral of the thread as expressed by Elizabeth turned out to be "calligraphy is in the eye of the beholder".

[chucks_mibs]

Okay ....those are some awesome examples.....give me a few and I'll post what ive got....

I have been on a serious quest for collecting WVS now for the past 4 years....and at the time, I knew that most of the beautiful WVS swirls and flames were "sleepers"....A couple of years ago, it was my understanding that with reference to marbles, the term "calligraphy" referred to a group or designation of Alley Agates (maybe some other WVS's too) flame/swirl marbles that have choppy, thin, long or short swirls that resemble the writing style......thus the name "calligraphy swirl" the name stuck with me ever since

Even though not all all Alley flames fit this category, it is my opinion that certain swirls will definitely take on "calligraphy style" accents about them. Below are some extreme examples that I would classify as Calligraphy Swirl/flames (i still have a few more like the one steph pictured above from lmtfi)

Here are some other fantastic Alley Flames that I feel don’t fit the bill........can you see the difference?

[jeeperman]

No doubt a fantastic display!! Thanks for sharing!

[kbobam]

Huh! Small world!

I just saw one of those listed a little while ago.

Remember it because I'd never heard of them.

Hang on a second while I take a look back.

Here it is! Looks like one of the marbles Chuck

described as wonderful in itself but not

quite fitting the 'calligraphy' bill. ( :

Thanks for the great photos to show the distinction!

http://cgi.ebay.com/STUNNING-ALLEY-AGATE-CALLIGRAPHY-MARBLES-rare-jet-black-/370437631482?pt=Marbles&hash=item563fcdadfa

[stacyw]

Thanks Chuck for that fantastic post - a great reference.

After looking at that, I can see that mine doesn't qualify.

The ones you and Jeeperman posted look more like "brains" and seem to have transparent bases.

Here's a question...Were these in any way designated by Alley as a specific type or construction or is this a later collectors' differentiation?

[joestreet]

Wow!!! Those are nice

[lstmmrbls]

collectors put the special names to them, not Alley. I am getting a bit of a German feel to your marble Stacy

[zaboo]

just a question to think about maybe? so what then is the difference between a multi-flame and a caligraphy? I am seeing both in one marble?

[kbobam]

I'm going to go way out on a limb here, possibly because I've

been ill and more or less hallucinating, but it feels right.

Seems to me an important 'Calligraphy' distinction is that

there's actually some degree of 'ink soaking into paper' effect.

Most of what I see called 'Flames' have a more modern 'high

resolution printing' look to them.

[I'llhavethat1]

Wow, nice mibs here! I've heard the term before but that's about it. First one is a knock-out, whatever it's called

[m!b$]

Here are some different examples of calligraphy writing. I'm not at all certain what defines a calligraphy marble.

[zaboo]

great analogy. the flames are just not what we knew as a 'caligraphy' from years back. but then we're old, and old collectors.

[I'llhavethat1]

Chuck, I was talking about the first one you posted. The clear base shows almost a "wirepull" pattern, which you wouldn't see if the base was opaque..Does it look that way in hand?

[Steph]

I still don't feel I know what a calligraphy alley is. Still feels as if the name is applied with a broad brush. (pun intended )

[sissydear]

I learned a long time ago that the calligraphy alleys looked like fancy writing. I don't put flames in that category. Even though they sometimes look like brush strokes to make the flames, they are still flames to me. Don't want to argue or belabor the point, but the marbles have to resemble writing for me to say calligraphy.

[ann]

Me too.

Don't think there's an "official" catagorization of a calligraphy mib, although I've only heard it in reference to Alleys.