Ric

I think it's a slightly odd Master too.

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.