sissydear

Looks like he took the auction down and he had zero bids.

I've heard that we're ignorant for calling them parakeets and parrotlets (or parrotlettes). Sounds like a good way to distinguish size to me. I think I'll keep calling MY marbles parrots and parakeets, and maybe I'll start a new name .... baby parrots. It's easier to spell than parrotlets. Ron was posting while I was. I edited my post above this one based on Ron's earlier post and I see by this last one, I did read it correctly. Thanks Ron. I did send my dues in, but probably delayed you knowing it. I sent the dues to Howard. See you soon.

And these two one inchers that I thought were pastel shooters when I bought them at the Texas show.... they are parrots. No white showing on either one, no green aventurine, and they are parrots. It's nice when a person can learn something new every day and I've learned two marble things today.

It's a swirl and it looks just like my 3/4 and one inch parrots. So in Texas language I have a parrotlet, some parakeets, and some parrots. LOL

This is all one marble and it's a 5/8 inch parrot. I'll be looking for more now that I know they exist.

WOW! THANK YOU KEN! I looked at your 5/8 inch parrots and a light bulb went on in my head. A trip to my marble cabinet, and the subsequent locating of my pastels 5/8 inch tigereye and there it was. A tigereye that swirled instead of having an eye and ribbons. A 5/8 inch parrot! I'll show it as soon as I upload the pics. I went back and reread Ron Shepherd's post. If I read it correctly, Ron called the little ones parakeets, so the 5/8 inch is not a parrot and it's OK if we call it parrotlet or baby parrots, or small parakeets. Always remember, if they're yours, you can name them and call them what you want. (Not really) I don't think it will cause confusion if we distinguish the sizes with different names.

Well, that shows what I know. LOL! I can't see akro in those red and yellows. Oh crumb, I can't even keep up. I'm talking about the little box and you guys are IDing the large box.

They all look CA to me.

isn't it neat when we can be helpful and not be attacked? This is the kind of board I remember. Kingfisher, there are a lot of people who read here and never post anymore. They got tired of the attacks. We can disagree without getting personal. Who I am is not linked to the value of my collection or the numbers of marbles in my collection. Or the marbles I'll never have. I'm one of those people who collect all marbles, except antique handmades. Early on, Weldon and I decided they were too expensive. I love handmade contemps. I think it's the people who make them that draw me to them. Those marbles are an expression of the maker. Weldon loves Peltiers. I love Akro and Vitro and Alley. Crumb! i love all marbles. I even appreciate the ones I don't collect. And yes, I collect JABO's from the early 1990's to the present. And yes I've been involved in 4 runs of experimentals. And no, I'm not in it for the money. I've sold a few and hoarded a lot. I've never sold one of our lutz marbles. Like the children's story "They're mine all mine". that's a line from a story about chocolate. LOL!

Now, that tip Duffy is a big help for new people. I also hate the word "newbie". I suspect kingfisher's marble is a tigereye and they were on white bases and also on clear bases that are veneered.

I don't have any in 9/16 or 5/8 inch range that look like my one inch or 3/4 inch. The small ones I have that were represented as parrotlets or parakeets are tigereyes. I can't pick out a patch parrot in my whole collection. All are swirls. Maybe there weren't many made and they didn't get to Texas.

Kingfisher, I can't see the thready white glass in your pics that would tell me your above marble is an elite or trilite. (two names for same marble) If the thready white glass is not there, I would call your beautiful marble a "fancy tigereye". I can see a pink eye and several ribbons. When there are 3 or 4 ribbons, two on each side of different colors, your marble qualifies for the term "fancy". I'd spend $37 on it. Great marble. Edna

this is the same marble in 5/8 inch size. The ribbons are wider than a lot of tigereye ribbons are. White shows in all of them. They are tigereyes. I hope this helps. If it stirs up a hornets nest, I'm sorry.

These marbles are 3/4 inch. sometimes they are described as patches, sometimes as tigereyes. The problem is that if you are advanced in collecting vitro, you can roll this marble around in your hand and see an eye and 2 ribbons. Some have no white showing. Others look like patch marbles. They have some variations caused in the making of them. These are in the bright parrot colors and have very little swirling. So what are they? They're mine and I call "tigereye". Some of these have been passed off as parakeets. They are not. IMO It grates on me to add that IMO. If I say it .... it is my opinion. I do not consider myself infallible, especially concerning marbles. 18 years does not make me an expert or a know it all.

This is a one inch tigereye. I have posted this example to show you the cause of some of the problem. One day while studying his tigereyes and parrots, Randy Gossett noticed something. He called the Brandstetters and told them his thoughts. The Brandstetters agreed with Randy. I will try to describe for you using this example, what Randy discovered. Glass is soft and the larger the marble, the more the soft hot glass moves around. On 5/8 marbles the tigereye look is very clean. In the case of the colors of the above marble, the eye is blue and it is surrounded by a yellow ribbon and an orange ribbon. Notice how the ribbons have moved in the rolling of the large marble and also in the glass stream coming out of the tank and going through the cutting mechanism. Now imagine if a 4th color were added to this marble and the machine operator was purposely causing more swirling. You would have a parrot. Now don't argue or accuse me. I hate it when you guys do this. It's not my idea, but it seems possible to me that parrots are a type of tigereye. You would have to ask Randy or the Brandstetters if the time line would support this idea. I got it from them and I don't think they would pass on misinformation. At the least, it's possible, it's a theory. Next, I want to show you some that are difficult to identify as patches or tigereyes. Some of them could be either or.

These are MY parakeets. some have white showing, some have aventurine, all have 4 or more colors. They are 3/4 inch marbles.

These are MY parrots. All are one inch and all have at least 4 colors. Some have green aventurine, some have white showing. the bottom left marble has rolled over and you can only see 2 colors, but trust me, the colors missing to qualify for parrot are on the other side. Parakeets coming.

the names of parrots and parakeets and parrotlets (possibly spelled parrotlettes) are regional. Get it! It depends on where you live and the particular collector. Some collectors do not consider the marble a parrot unless the white is totally covered. I am not one of those. I have both kinds. Some do not consider the marble a parrot unless it has green aventurine in it. I am not one of those. I looked for 40 minutes this morning at my tigereyes and other vitro marbles looking for the two marbles I know as parrotlets and I know they are tigereyes. I have yet to find them... like looking for a needle in a haystack. I have no more time this week for the search. Please understand I am not disputing Blaine Lemon and Ron Shepherd. I have the utmost respect for Ron Shepherd and when he says Mr. Lemon told him he made parrots in 3/4 and 1 inch sizes, I accept that. However, I'm old (almost 72), been collecting 18 years, and bought my 3/4 inch parrots as parakeets. They are my marbles. People where I buy, shop, sell - call them parakeets. I will continue to call my marbles parakeets. If you are "new" learn the new info presented by Ron. They are properly called parrots. Maybe parakeets and parrolets only occur in certain regions of the country. Maybe, just maybe... the marbles are the same. I think because I can't find my parrotlets that I have come to know as tigereyes that they are tigereyes and I recognize them as such and no longer can pick them out as parrotlets. As soon as I upload my pics to a host, I'll post them here. I won't argue about them. There is nothing to argue about. You decide what your marbles are.

I for one, love new handmades.

I especially like the orange and blue cork and the two black eyed peas

Pop, these are what I know as parakeets. They are in the neighborhood of 3/4 inch and are fewer in number than parrots.

"If you are not on the selection committe, you will not know who is being inducted until it happens. We plan to induct living and dead persons. The living persons are honored for their contributions to the hobby. They are not honored for the size or value of their collections, but for their service to the hobby. Nationally known people serve on the selection committee as well as Texans. I appreciate all your suggestions about who should be honored, but please understand we are a not for profit organization. We will take small steps and eventually include all those who should be included. And it's none of anybody's business except the selection committee in what order we act. This is a work in progress and all should be joyous that somebody (The Texas Marble Collector's Inc.) has taken the lead and finally the history of our hobby is being recognized and remembered." Edna Eaton, President, TMCI Oh, I forgot something. Members of our club can nominate people to be inducted. Members of other marble clubs can nominate people. This is new. This is planned, but as mentioned above - a work in progress. We are working as quickly as we can getting our foundations laid and procedures in place. All of you need to think about the research required, the writing required, the traveling required. It is the idea of the Texas Marble Club, but it is national, hence the name American. And yes, we will be inducting more honorees in October. This is my last remark on this at this time. Details will be announced first in Texas and then you will know. It is the business of Texas.

Yes, some of them have a patch and then a "V" in a different color. What makes it difficult is that some of the conquerors do have opalescent glass, but they are not opals. Not enough colors. I have some I could do a photo with, but I'm too tired to do that tonight. We're just in from Houston watching the grandson's baseball team. If I think about it tomorrow I'll do a pic for you.

Well, I was trying to get him to come to that conclusion on his own. Guess I wasn't direct enough. LOL

Thanks Paula, nice article.