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Fisher Jewel Tray


carole154

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I'm fully prepared to be told that this is the worst color and no one wants this one. Has to be some reason this one went low. I just got it today and it was black. I don't have the right stuff to clean it here at the house so this is just the beginning of the cleaning. The marbles are a nice salmon color in hand. It's the first and only one I own.

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carole

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brass polish is ok, just be careful not to rub too hard as it will scratch. just a nice gentle sheen is good. too much and you'll not see the patterning as well if ya know what I mean. heck dont worry about some of the slightly darker areas below the top pattern. it'll drive ya nuts... been there done that.lol

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Hey Carole, I use Barkeeper's Friend for stuff like that (available in most grocery stores in the spot remover section) It's just like a scouring powder, but less abrasive (and different make up) By using just a little bit at a time, well diluted with water, it's possible to lighten the tarnish with out removing it all. It's also great for rust stains.

But, I agree with Dani, they don't look right polished too bright. I think that one looks just about right as it is.

I've been trying to collect all different colors of the jewel trays... In my travels, it seems like that color is one of the most common. That probably explains the low price.... But, unless your looking for each different color, who cares?? It's very cool!!!

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Thanks guys. Sue, I have some of that Barkeeper's Friend but if this is about what it should look like then I will leave it alone. I kind of like the darker areas. Like Dani says it shows the pattern better. What are the hardest colors to find-just out of curiousity?

carole

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What are the hardest colors to find-just out of curiousity?

Hmmmmm, good question!!! LOL

I never really thought about it as a competition, I just seem to run into that color most. There are a few collectors who are a lot more into it than I am.... They may have a score on that. It would be cool to know....

Aside from solid colors, though... I can tell you that marbles other than solid are rare. I have one with helmets that has a commemorative coin of the Statue of Liberty in the center. I have seen plain ones with the helmets in other collections.... Just beware of these with "replaced" marbles... If the plate comes off the back (and they do on some) it's pretty easy to replace the original marbles with something else... Usually, on the replaced ones, the plate is gone... But, some are loose and can be removed and put back on. That leaves the possibility that marbles could be put in that were never intended to be there... Both a cool thought and a dangerous thought... Let's say I had 12 Akro 5/8" snakes in different colors, each with one bad side.... How cool would that be??? But, how deceptive could it be, also?... I would expect (and HOPE) any knowledgeable collector would question a non-Vitro marble in a Jewel tray... If you were to see something unusual on ebay and it doesn't show a picture of the back, ASK... The plate is likely gone and marbles replaced...

There are some "out there" that say "The Vitro Agate Co." on the back, rather than the usual Fisher... All of those that I've seen have a smooth brass surface, no texture....

The World's Fair trays are a little tougher to find and due to the cross collectible, they tend to run higher priced.

The larger size, using shooters are awesome!! I have a red one and I'm always looking for more.... But, they run about $100, so my search for a "sleeper" continues!!! Again, I've never seen a large one with the texture design in the brass... I have seen those in chrome plated, also... Bev Brule had a large size with alternating red, white & blue shooters in the original World's Fair box!!

One of my quests is to find the small size jewel tray with a clock in the center.... My ultimate dream was to get a lamp using the same type of style... That was realized 2 years ago, for Christmas!!! (Actually, I bought it with a BIN for.... I think $280.00.... and let Wally finish the transaction... LOL)

Here's a picture of it... The style and cord indicate to me that it is newer than the other items... My guess would be late 60's - 70's.... Yet, there is a patent for it in the original applications. I'd love to know if this was a later creation, or if someone matched the shade (Miraculous!! if so...) and rewired it.

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Very nice ashtray. Thought I would add my 2 cents in -- I believe that with most antiques that have a patina, that unless the grime is really really bad, it is not recommended to polish it because it will decrease the value of the item, especially brass, bronze and copper items which will develop a natural patina and often times come from the factory with a factory finish that will come off with polishing. A rule of thumb I use when determining what to do to a collectible or antique is " Do not do anything to it that cannot be undone without damage or alteration to the object." I would just recommend warm soapy water.

I have owned several of these and have always liked them. I still have one out on my deck that I let my smoking friends use when they come to visit. Always a great conversation starter, which has led me to some great marble finds.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Yeah, there's at least one collection out there, I can't remember whose... That is VAST!!!

Here's what I have so far... Though, I couldn't find the big one (it's red opague) it's around here, somewhere...... :blink:

Transparent... The ones on the ends are a very dark green and a very dark blue.

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Transluscent... The one that looks black is dark green

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Opague....

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Worlds Fair... Carole, I was thinkin' that lower right might be like yours?? I don't know if it floureses... The black is BLACK!! They say all black glass has a base color... If so, I haven't found a light bright enough to show it's color

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Wow Sue. Thanks for the pics. Mine could be like that but in the sunlight the marbles almost have a greenish tint rather than a light yellow. I have no idea whether mine is an off white, yellow or green, lol. It's definitely not white white. That' a super collection you have there.

carole

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Thanks Carole!! They're fun to find... My son got a salmon colored one from a worker at our town dump!! He apparently found it in the trash, thought it was cool and sat it next to his station to use as an ashtray... Dustin saw it and told him what it was. He said,"Hey Cool... You want it??" ..... It's great bein' a kid!!! ROFL <_<

I also wondered about the one in the lower left of the transluscents... Though, that seems to have way more color than yours and I'd call it green before yellow... No way is it"off white." Or, the one on the lower right... But, that really doesn't show much of any yellow or green, it's pretty definitely off-white.... Mmmmm, it could be the same as the World's Fair one... Maybe a bit darker... Neither glow with the black light that I have.... It's really small, I need to get batteries for the bigger one.... :blush:

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  • 15 years later...
On 11/11/2007 at 1:48 PM, Scoop said:

Yeah, there's at least one collection out there, I can't remember whose... That is VAST!!!

Here's what I have so far... Though, I couldn't find the big one (it's red opague) it's around here, somewhere...... :blink:

Transparent... The ones on the ends are a very dark green and a very dark blue.

post-3-1194806781_thumb.jpg

Transluscent... The one that looks black is dark green

post-3-1194806797_thumb.jpg

Opague....

post-3-1194806806_thumb.jpg

Worlds Fair... Carole, I was thinkin' that lower right might be like yours?? I don't know if it floureses... The black is BLACK!! They say all black glass has a base color... If so, I haven't found a light bright enough to show it's color

post-3-1194806816_thumb.jpg

Oh my, that custard glass one! I need that! LOL

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