Ric

It sure is a beautiful blue - maybe too nice for Master, IMO.

It is with a heavy heart that I report my best friend Bill McCaleb (mibcapper) passed away yesterday at his home. I loved him like a brother. Bill was a wounded Vietnam Veteran who got into a land mine within days after deploying to the front lines. He carried the scars and health issues associated with his injuries for the rest of his life. After more than a year of rehab in Germany and California he became a USPS postal carrier in west central Illinois where he eventually retired early after a back injury and more surgery. He collected marbles for about 30 years and dug at nearly every factory in West Virginia and Christensen Agate too. I have never known another person who was as excited about dirty marbles as he was. Bill, Ron Shepherd and I spent many days and nights marbling and over many years attended so many shows together that we became known as the "Three Amigos". "Get 'em all" was one of Bill's favorite marbling phrases and he contributed much to the hobby. One of his many achievements was discovering and naming the Alley Carnival. Years ago, I picked him up in Illinois and took him to the VA Hospital in Indianapolis and back. When I got home, I found a Carnival he had slipped into my coat pocket. That's the kind of person Bill was, generous to a fault. I spent many days with him talking marbles, looking at marbles and swapping marbles, and we shared all the ups and downs of life and supported one another just like brothers would. Fortunately, Ron, Nola Morgan and I were able to spend a couple of more days visiting with him shortly after Christmas. Bill was in high spirits and we relived a lot of good times and marble adventures past. As usual, he was gibing with us and laughing and having as much fun as he could muster, just like he always did. Only this time, he wasn't able to muster quite as much as he usually would. Bill always lived life in the moment, and grabbed every ounce of joy that he could. Rest in peace brother Billy, I already miss you dearly.

I think it would be a stretch too far to call this one a Green Raven. Does this marble glow under UV?

I think it wanted to be but . . .?

Control the beast Missy! 🤣

I pulled those out of a few pint jars that Beri Fox (owner of MK) had at the 2010 Sistersville Marble Festival. They are all I have and I don't know how many were made or how easy they are to find. But it seems I have seen them come up on that demon EBay before. lol

Another project I'm starting is to make a marble encrusted bowling ball for a yard ornament - sort of like a reflecting ball but way cooler. lol

Cool marble, Jeff - to me, it looks more like a Rainbow Red with a additional patch than a P&R that's missing a patch so if it was mine, I might call it a Rainbow Red Christmas. If I thought it was supposed to be a P&R, I might opt for a Bottomless Watermelon. lol

That's a great marble - heavy on the white, for sure.

I also gave quite a few to cub scouts when I used to do presentations about marbles and taught them how to play so they could earn their belt loop. Unfortunately, that loop was discontinued in 2015.

@William Hey buddy, all you need is a good stone chisel and a grinding wheel. 😁

I have about 10 gallons of damaged and too common marbles that will wind up in my landscaping this spring. That way, I still get to fish through them and look at them but they won't take up space in the house. And it's a big attraction for visiting children too. 🙂

Start trading - it's a good way to get new marbles. But if you're like me, it can be hard to let them go!

@Melissa My bet is it's 1" or close to it. Alley made lots of big ones with single colors - two colors are definitely better!

No way it's Akro.

A big Alley - what size is it? And a great photo too!

Nice photos - I agree with Chad.

Just killer patterns on that set!

I knew it a few days ago - thanks for the reminder. I probably won't forget it again. lol I was looking at this one . . .

Good! 🙂

I'd be happier with the upper right one if the patch was a brighter lipstick red and didn't have that brown bleeding out of it but if the base glows bright under UV I'd be okay with Kokomo.

Of course, Ravenswood was my first thought, but the internal action and the dug ones you showed make me lean toward Heaton pretty hard. I think that yellow/amber base is not so common for Ravenswood either. It's very Honey Biscuit -ish.

It's not too sloppy to be CAC, IMO. The wiggles and bare spots are what I find unusual.

With that cut line and those loops, Im thinking CAC.