Ric

That's a nice Liberty, Charlie.

@akroorka You know, the more I look at your "shorty" box the more I recall the boxes and some controversy. I want to say there was some discussion about whether or not it was a "fantasy" item modeled on the look of the old "Stars and Stripes" boxes or perhaps a late or even last run from the original producer. Your box appears to have Champion marbles in it. I believe the others I saw did too. There were a number of people who acquired large amounts of Champion marbles when and long after the factory closed. Some people, like Charlie Stutsman, made quite a craft of marketing them. He filled a lot of boxes like the one Al showed with Champs and it wouldn't surprise me if he or some other enterprising person filled boxes like yours in the 80s-90s, how the boxes came to be is another question. I just saw two more examples like yours. One also had Champions in it, the other contained what appeared to be later Parkersburg Vitros - both were fresh looking with little to no hinge/flap wear. It looks like yours is in similar condition. FWIW, I think they are probably later jobber boxes.

@akroorka That's an interesting box Art. Ravenswoods were for sure packaged in the blue and green ones but I am not sure about the red. And I have not seen a "short" version of the red box like the one you're showing either. @Al Oregon The box you showed was a favorite of Charlie Stutsman out of Evansville Indiana (RIP). He jobbered a lot of Champion and Marble Kings in those boxes. They are larger and I think they are quite a bit later than the boxes like Art showed. Notice the different numbers of stars and stripes and narrower cut-outs on yours.

Such a beautiful set, and a very memorable way to start your collection. Was it found during the Festival Fringe?

Here is a post from Ron with a bit more info. I bought a complete one many years ago but don't remember what I paid for it.

Nice find, Boris!

The last one is not oxblood. I don't think it's Akro either - looks to me like it might be JABO.

Very cool reflections, Art!

Nice marble, I think it's probably a WVS - leaning Ravenswood over Alley.

A good Heaton with horsehair and lots of AV . . .

I agree with Art.

It's about 5/8" but I have no idea what it is - maybe an end of cane shrunken onion skin? All I know for sure is that it's unusual and I like it. 🙂 Maybe @Chad G. or @I'llhavethat1 would have a better idea of what to call it. Nice Baby Parrot too!

Probably my best German . . .

Oh boy, that's a pretty one, Art. I think it might be a Sistersville Alley - a stunner too!

HG World's Best Moon . . .

The marbles really do look much more at home on that beautiful board. 🙂 An original Grenier set surely would be something to behold! And thanks for the reference, to Marble Mania, I hadn't looked at that book for years and that board is a beauty!

I think it wanted to be a member of this family but didn't make the cut, got pitched and then dug up.

Bummer, I feel your pain - the undamaged marbles are costing you about 10X what they should.

I agree with Chad . . .

I think the 1st one may be an Akro Moss Agate, and the 3rd-7th may not be American made marbles. The 3rd may be a Whispler type (English?), the 4th may be Mexican, the 6th may be an Imperial type (Asian) and the 7th may be an Asian Cat's Eye - not sure about the 5th but it gives me foreign vibe too.

Very nice, Galen - thanks for posting. I have seen a variety of different marbles in these Gropper Prima boxes - these look like Peltier's answer to CAC American Agates.

Just a thought . . . I am pretty sure I have seen Vacor Serpents polished in an attempt to make them look more like Peltier Supermen, or at least to bring Peltier closer to the realm of possibility.

To me, pocket wear is what takes the shine off a marble. This seems more substantial to me - light surface abrasion, perhaps.