akronmarbles

Good news! I did have a chance to finally talk with Dave at Jabo and he assures me they have been lead free due to Ohio laws for many years. It looks like he will just have to jump through the appropriate paperwork hoops to be certified under the umbrella of the new law.

I should have started a new thread with this topic - but it totally relates to the Last Dance Jabo marbles. It doesn't make a difference if the item is being marketed as a collectible - it is still covered under the law. I really hope Jabo is able to offer the certification. I think this will only really hurt commercial sales people at the beginning. I am sitting on about 1000 pounds of Jabo Classics which are being sold on my website as well as at The American Toy Marble Museum. With no certification since the law also covers existing stock, I am screwed. All Jabo experimental runs are existing stock as well. This law definately efects the people who were investors in Jabo runs of 2008 and the planned runs for 2009. They actually can't legally produce anything after the February date without the certification - this gives me hope that one will indeed be offered. This law covers anyone who is a manufacturer - artist and crafts people are also considered manufacturers and are covered under this banner according to the law. So if you make contemporary marbles in any capacity, you also fall under this law. It covers any product which could be used by children under 12. I hope this pans out in a good way since many people, including myself, are sitting on quite a few marbles.

Got lead? Just some food for thought. If you are not aware there was a new law placed on the books which limits the amount of lead allowed in any product which could be used by a child under the age of 12. Manufacturers must certify their products lead free. The law takes affect on February 12, 2009 but also covers existing inventory. Marbles are definitely covered under this law. I know that Marble King and Fabricas Selectas / Vacor are planning on having paperwork filed by the deadline and will be able to provide lead free certifications. Unless a lead free certification is done or testing for lead has taken place, the item, regardless if it has lead in it or not is considered hazardous waste. It cannot be sold nor given away. I sincerely hope that Jabo plans on providing the same certification. I am sitting on quite a few old classics which I have been selling as toys - unless there is a certification issued, then no more sales. The fine for the first offense is $8000 and the second offense is $100,000. For the full language of the law, see here: CPSIA law

Great info. Notice how the Visi-Paks were patented by Rosenthal. This is who Berry Pink was working for before he went solo.

Fall of 1928 was the start of production according my research.

Bo hit the nail on the head. It's not a soft vs hard thang.....just go to your studio and make some art damnit! It's all cool to me - I wish everything was made of glass. I always thought that a glass toilet would be money...lol

Lampworking is the art of making items with prefabricated glass rods. The rods are heated by a torch - or in the old days, an oil fired lamp supplemented with air bellows.

The industry started in Ohio because the machinery and methods were invented by Ohio residents - basically in Akron. Akro Agate didn't move to West Virginia for cheap natural gas ans silica sand - they moved out of Akron because their business was completely stolen from M.F. Christensen and they wouldn't dare open their competing shop in the same town -they went to Clarksburg for secrecy. There is volumes of evidence to prove this out. Granted - glass industries did thrive in West Virginia and the Ohio valley due to gas and silica sands - silica sand being the major constituent of glass cost alot of money to transport - so historically, glass houses were located in close proximity to these sources - sometimes within amile of a quarry or deposit.

Wow - this thread was started just about a year ago. You didn't offend me Steph. I’d rather agree to disagree then get all worked up over something I solely do for pleasure. I see all sides of the issue - I personally think it's strange to sign my name onto a marble - but for obvious reasons and majority opinion, I decided to sign my creations.

As far as sizes go = 1 and 5/8" is about tops for the cobalt ones - the largest purple MFC I have seen is 1.25". The green and amber can be found up to 1 and 7/8". I am not sure about white - maybe 1.25 to 1.5". The glass egg I posted is hollow - it measures about 3" in length. It's the only one I have ever encountered.

All melted pontil. Big blue MFC - 1 and 5/8" Nice lime green - it glows under UV light. Read the article it's sitting on.. More hand gathered yummyness...

A very rare James Harvey Leighton blown 'slag' glass egg. These were made while he worked for Sam Dyke in Akron.

I know they are not marbles, but they were made by S.C. Dyke in Akron - these all date to 1884. The same time Sam made these he was turning out his first clay marbles. The first one says 'Merry Christmas' and the other says 'Blaine Logan' - for the 1884 election. The jug in the second image says 'Cleveland Hendricks' - also from the 1884 election.

I know, that you know, that you know, that I know, that you want to get your hands on a white based christensen Agate.

Orange peel translates into cold forming rolls or 'short' working glass. Any glass marble made any time on any machine could possibly display this attribute.

Here's a peach based example.....It's only a half though looks to be in the 29/32" range as well.

Wait - I thought it was a white brick. That's what the diggers told me anyways.....lol

IMHO - hand gathered and delivered to a forming machine. I was lucky enough to see the fragment Bill pictured in person......

The American made examples were mold pressed - more like injected. The foreign made examples are Prosser molded - it's a small hand press arrangement - a little bit larger then a pair of pliers. With the American method - the glass wasn't poured - it was more like 'forced' into the mold cavity. The finished item looked like a golf ball on a tee connected to a base - kind of like a globe on a stand. This large piece was placed into the annealing oven. After it was cooled down - the 'tee' and base part were knocked off of the ball. - thus the rough spot. With the German method - a large glass rod was heated up and a sphere was then pressed out of it with the hand tool - sometimes the tool would be mounted to a work bench.

Here's some of Bill Tow's camera magic......

I think that is my pic - not good enough to be a BT photo....

BT - All of the examples that i can think of that are 1" in size can be traced back to Harry Heintzelman (sp???) who then passed them to Fred Wright then off to other collectors. The other two cases are both from groups that came out of Akron - definately distant family members - one was a coffee can full of marbles that contained only MFC marbles including a rare 1" crystal brick and a solid white 1 & 7/8" industrial marble. Another group contained a crystal brick and a few "moss agates" along with an example of every type of 'brick' you would ever want to find. IMHO - Both groups represent hand picked marbles taht were kept by the makers them selves.

They were not a regular production item. All of the examples I know of originated from an employee of the company.

Nice pics Bill..... Here is the result from an experimental batch melt yesterday. The color is good but I need to coax it out more. I hope to be making new oxbloods very soon....

Andrea - your marble is an MFC IMHO - a 'green brick'