What Is A Vitro Tiger Eye?

WHAT IS A VITRO TIGER EYE?

By Chuck Brandstetter

Marbles have names for various reasons. Some marbles were named by the manufacturers. Some children who play with marbles had names for their favorite marbles and some collectors have given marbles certain names. So, it is not unusual that one style of marbles may have different names (Slags for example, the makers of those marbles called them “Onyx” marbles). Identifying different Tiger Eyes is complicated because different collectors sometimes call them by different names.

So what is a Vitro Tiger Eye? Recently Al Rasmus, Randy Gossett and I discussed this subject at some length. The good news is that Vitro did use the name Tiger Eye. The bad news is that they used the name Tiger Eye for what seem to be several different styles of marbles (At this point, I’ll absolve Al & Randy for any blame regarding my conclusions). I believe that Tiger Eyes evolved over time. These changes resulted in slightly different kinds of marbles. These changes were probably made simply for production or marketing reasons and were in all likelihood of no particular significance to the men making them. Al, Randy & I reviewed photos in the new book “The Vitro-Agate Company” by Chris Cooper and Michael Johnson. We also examined the marbles in many original bags. Based on this investigation, it is my conclusion that there are four different and unique types of Vitro Tiger Eyes.

CONSTRUCTION OF VITRO TIGER EYES – The basic construction is a marble with thin veneered patches on the top & bottom and a thin veneered half & half ribbon in the middle.

*Type 1…A clear base glass with a color patch on top, a white patch on the bottom and a two color (half & half) ribbon in the middle (Photo 1).

*Type 2…A clear base glass with a color patch on top, a different color patch on the bottom and a one color (half & half) ribbon in the middle (Photo 2).

*Type 3…A clear base glass with a color patch on top, a different color patch on the bottom and a white (half & half) ribbon in the middle (Photo 3).

Type 4…An opaque white base glass with a color patch on top, a different color patch on the bottom and a white (half & half) ribbon in the middle. (Photo 4).

Type 1 is quite common and has over 60 different color combinations. Type 1 Tiger Eyes were/are commonly called Tri-colors, Parakeets or Three color patch & ribbons by collectors. Type 2 is not common and appears to simply be a fancy version of Type 1. Very rare is a Type 2 with a two color (half & half) ribbon. On Type 3, the white ribbon in the middle sometimes appears to be outlined with a thin black line which is just the clear glass base showing through. Type 4 is identical to Type 3 except the base glass was changed to white. The clear versus white can be determined by back-lighting the marble, even when it is in an original poly bag.

The above paragraph summarizes the four types of Vitro Tiger Eyes. The following paragraph explains when, why and how we think these variations could have occurred. If you are interested and want more specifics, read on.

The Vitro book (page 10) notes that “In 1951, the Tiger Eyes line of marbles was introduced…(in boxes, and)…in a new transparent plastic bag.” Tiger Eyes are shown in many places in the Vitro book. If you have the Vitro book see page 31 for what I call Type 1 Tiger Eyes (upper left photo, original ad and sample box). The yellow insert in the sample box says “Tiger Eyes”. This advertisement appeared in the November, 1954 issue of “PLAYTHINGS” magazine. This proves that Vitro was making original poly bags with Tiger Eyes in 1954 and maybe earlier.

Type 1 Tiger Eyes are most commonly found in original poly bags with a red/white scalloped label which says “Vitro Agates” (Photo 5). This bag can also be seen in the ad (page 31 in Vitro book). They are also found in various advertising bags. Type 2 Tiger Eyes are sometimes found in the same bags with Type 1. Type 3 Tiger Eyes are found in original bags with a red/black pendant label which says “Tiger Eyes” (Photo 6). Both Type 3 and Type 4 Tiger Eyes are found in the red/yellow straight line label bags which say “Vitro Agates” (Photo 7).

The red/white scalloped label bags appear to be the first Vitro poly bags. Therefore, Type 1 & 2 Tiger Eyes were probably the original Tiger Eyes. Since Type 3 Tiger Eyes are also on a clear base glass they probably followed in the red/black pendant label bags that say “Tiger Eyes”. Since both Type 3 & 4 Tiger Eyes are found in the red/yellow straight line label bags, Type 4 probably occurred when for some production reason, possibly cost, opaque white glass was substituted for the clear base glass. These red/yellow bags can have all Type 3, all Type 4 or a mixture of both.

IN SUMMARY, TYPE 1 & TYPE 3 TIGER EYE MARBLES WERE CALLED “TIGER EYES” BY THE VITRO AGATE CO. TYPE 2 TIGER EYES ARE JUST A FANCY VERSION OF TYPE 1 TIGER EYES. TYPE 4 TIGER EYES ARE TYPE 3 TIGER EYES BUT WITH A DIFFERENT COLOR (WHITE VS CLEAR) BASE GLASS.

Something to think about:

Why veneer a thin white (half & half) ribbon on white base glass? We broke open a couple of type 4 Tiger Eye marble to see if the white ribbon was veneered. It was. A possible reason was that a poor quality cheaper white glass was covered by a better quality white veneer.

Are Whities made using essentially the same veneering construction method? They have a white patch on the top & bottom and a color (half & half) ribbon in the middle. The ribbon is usually of one color. Whities were probably made through the same time period as Tiger Eyes because we have found Whities in Tiger Eye bags (both clear & opaque base).

Other Vitro marble designs such as Blackies, Black Line All Reds, Yellow Jackets and probably All Reds appear to have been manufactured in the same pattern and construction as Tiger Eyes. (You decide)

The Top of the line marbles made by Vitro in Parkersburg were Parrots. Just for fun, look real close a them.

Type 1 Tiger Vitro Eye