Jabo, Inc.,
2005 Marble Production
This is my second opportunity to hopefully wax eloquent regarding the marbles
made by Jabo under the guiding hand of Dave McCullough, who in all humbleness
attributes their ultimate success to a much higher authority.
If you have fallen under the spell of the unending turning magic of the swirl
marble, the wondrous translucent and/or opaque swirl marbles that Jabo have been
featuring in their Spring & Fall Classic series will have come to your
attention. These Special Runs have ultimately been done for the sheer joy of
making a think of beauty. And if you have somehow missed out on experiencing
what Jabo has been doing, you have a wonderful adventure ahead of you. These
runs are an established fact going all the way back to the early 1990s. Mike
Johnsons book on the American machine-made marble industry (coming out in the
Spring 06 by Schiffer Publishing), will devote a full chapter to Jabo with
photographs from all the Spring & Fall Classic Series runs in addition to a
thorough history of the company.
Right now I want to provide an overview on what Jabo has produced for the
collector market in the year 2005. Undoubtedly the most significant and yet to
be heralded marble run was on December 9, 2005, when a very special run of 1
marbles were made while the process was filmed by a professional Canadian crew
of How Its Made for an as yet to be scheduled Discovery Channel segment.
In Photo #1, I show two similar sets of 12 different marbles. Most of the
marbles made on December 9th were opaque swirls but a couple varieties of a
Light Yellow and a Dark Yellow (Photo #2) have translucence. Also in Photo 2,
are four marbles with a rich creamy red. Very few of these appeared to come down
the line and, along with the yellow translucent, Mike and I immediately declared
them favorites.
Photo #1
Photo #2
The December 9th run ran to approximately 4500 lbs or approximately 103,500
marbles. For comparison a 25 lb box of these 1 marbles would have somewhere
around 575 marbles as Dave tops them off, cause that’s the kind of guy he is!
Going back through the 2005 year the Fall Classic Series was predominantly
distinguished by a gorgeous variety of marbles represented in Photo #3. All 12
shown were in individual runs of sufficient quantity to set them apart. Again a
personal favorite, a rich creamy translucent red, is highlighted in Photo #4.
Photo #3
Photo #4
For greatest variety in sizes and color combinations I would have to say that
the Spring Classic Series for 2005 is elevated to the top echelons of marble
consideration when contemplating an overview of past Classic runs. Heck, even a
sizable run of marbles that were all deemed rejects Mike and I have saved from
the obscurity of the Jabo dumpster* (see Photo #5) and given a second life as
the first marble in the 21st Century to continue the line of Root Beer Float
marbles (see Photo#6). These might more accurately be called Root Beer Slags.
All are approximately 5/8 with varying degrees of denseness. (*Aside: Story has
it that someone from
Photo #5
Photo #6
To anyone who has looked at them, your initial impression is that many of the
2005 Spring Classics truly have Fall colors. Just look at Photo #7 and #8, which
contain a handpicked group of 5/8 and pee wee marbles that Ron Shepherd sent
along to me in April 2005. Smack dab in the middle are 14 of my personal
favorites that I give center stage. To further emphasize this autumn coloring
scheme look at these beautiful pee wees in Photo #9 also sent to me by Ron.
Photo #7
Photo #8
Photo #9
Let me round this out with some fun photos and maybe bring some of you around to
what’s been happening at Jabo in
Photo #10
Photo #11
Photo #12
Dave McCullough defers from making cats eyes and patterned marbles (ribbons and
patches) thereby graciously leaving that field of marbles to Marble King. Its in
the swirl marble that he excels. The swirl marble and the slag marble in their
paradoxically freeze-framed state still dramatically exhibit the changing
dynamism of the natural process which has resulted in this spherical final form
a naturally perfect shape framing a world of wild churning wonder the constant
turning of which reveals a kaleidoscope of worlds within. If its a Jabo marble
you can be sure you’ve go something special in your hand!