sissydear

Leroy, I was the first to attempt answering your question. I am the DA because I didn't really know what you were asking. I collect machine mades, but my real love is contemporary hand mades. When I saw "furnace" marble I immediately jumped to hand made furnace marbles. I never gave the Champion Agate "furnace marbles" a thought until marbleus1 copied the myth to the thread. Then I was amazed that people still believed that myth and started posting to dispel that story. Then Al posted Ron and Daves remarks and thought I was saying the myth was correct. I can only think that Al didn't read the whole thread. I have been involved in experimental runs at JABO too. So I know what a tank wash is. I also know about tank washes when doing hand made stuff. The glass we know as "milk glass" is the furnace workers scrubbing sponge when doing tank washes. It takes out lots of glass you don't want in your tank. I will conclude with this thought. I guess there's a little DA in all of us.

Al, I don't see a problem with Ron's post or McCullough's remarks.. That's really what happened. What did not happen was scraping the furnace and making marbles from the scrapings. That is the myth. I bought some early in collecting and was told they were furnace scrapings. It's in some books that they are. That myth has caused the confusion. It was a tall tale told by a glass worker. Howard Powell has given me many "furnace marbles", but he knew what they were and were not. This got discussed several years back, but I guess nobody ever wrote in a book what really happened. Many people still believe the myth. The story about Wissmach is true Al, just like Ron said.

Glory hole and furnace side by side

Boyd is shaping a gather. Behind him on the right side is a furnace. Next to it, on the left side is the glory hole.

Stacy, you have it! I think my problem was not even thinking about "furnace scraping". I was thinking hand made furnace marbles. More pics coming of a furnace.

this is Boyd Miller reheating a sulfide in the "glory hole". Glory hole and furnace are not the same thing.

Yes, the crucibles are usually inside a kiln. Yes I do have some pics of the West Virginia furnaces. It may take me a while to find them.

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"The base glass is obtained from a crucible using a longmetal punty (like Sammy Hogue uses) rather then a blow pipe." This is true if you are not using a furnace, but instead a crucible to gather glass from. The West Virginial glass artists nearly all have furnaces which they gather glass from. Sometimes torch artists use crucibles. Yes marbleus1 Context is so important.

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I am removing my posts on this subject. It seems the myth about furnace scrapings is better than the truth.

What a neat thing you've done, Craig. I remember when I relied on this to help me know the marbles.

I had airline tickets, room reservations and had to cancel. Won't be there this year. Hope to be at Sistersville.

Nice bell. I need to show you some marbles I just got. My email isn't working yet so I can't.

Those sure are pretty marbles.

Sad news. So many losses recently. Prayers for the family. Edna

If nutz4lutz says it's Vitro, then it is. He's that good!

That pink looking ribbon looks like Fenton Burmese glass that has been reheated. I'm betting it glows with a black light on it. If so, it's a JABO.

Andrea, you are correct about "repro". It's our "school background". It's like the men pronounce Vitro Agate as "veetro agate". It got it's name from the Vitrolite Company - pronounced vit like sit.

Well said, Lou. Prayers going up for his survivors. God speed, Alan

Sue, you are wonderful!

Cheryl, God bless you!

That is beautiful. I like the blue and green ribbons too.