bumblebee

It was my assumption orange peel happened due to surfaces on the marble machine, because I've only seen it on very large mibs. I figured the heavier big marbles while still malleable would gather these dimples by virtue of their weight. Just a theory, though.

Curious to know that as well, and also in what sizes? The biggest vaseline slag I've found is 7/8".

Rough rollers?

Per this old article, I assume these are "Jaspers" or "Croton alleys". The 3/4" one has a Bennington look to it as if it were painted, but the 5/8"ish ones I have definitely appear to be streaked by actual green and blue clay. I do not have enough of them to dare break one open to confirm that.

Wow, perfect for a museum of marbles.

I would assume they made them on purpose. If not it was a very happy coincidence. Still, of all my Tiger Eyes that's the only one with solid "V" on it, so it doesn't seem they were trying too hard to get "V"s on those.

Wish all my Vitro Tiger Eyes were signed thus with a perfect V backlit through clear base glass by the blue veneer opposite.

Seems an odd business decision to renew the Akro trademark and then market handmade marbles. Who in the world thinks of "handmade" when they think Akro? I guess it's better than them making machine mades and confusing the collecting world further.

Wow. Reminds me of some colors in Mary Poppins.

I'm guessing some of his polished peewees were once 5/8" or bigger!

Just bumping this because I was hoping they tracked down Bo's marbles (and the offenders who took them). This was such a sad thing to read.

Saw my first wild Montana marbles...included a 3/4" "christmas tree" ribbon lutz (nm minus), a neon aqua melon ball, a few latticino swirls, and some wet mint benningtons, then a lot of common 50s-60s mibs in so-so shape. Nothing heart-stopping. Owners weren't selling yet because they wanted to pick their favorites for sentimental reasons but it is nice to see old mibs. Fingers crossed as when I do get to pick through them they're bringing more next time.

I won't be able to because I'll be too busy clearing snow off my 75-ft gravel driveway at 6 AM in the dark.

Thanks. I must have misheard that someone was hand-faceting contemporary agates intentionally to mimic vintage ones. Guess I just scored a very nice old one...now to find some blues or greens.

Great advice...I've noticed out here in MT people aren't as internet-connected so you have to dig around in person rather than on sites like Craigslist to get leads. Hoping I can get to shows within reasonable distances.

@Steph = It rolls well enough. You can definitely feel the facets everywhere with your thumbnail. @machinemades = I assumed the contemporary agate artist I heard about was intentionally cutting them in the traditional way, hand grinding them down, rather than using a sphere machine. In other words, he wanted those facets to show, but again this is just me overhearing rumors.

I have heard online and at shows that there is/was somebody who hand-cuts agates so that they look just like the German ones, nicely faceted. I happen to have a gorgeous 3/4" one that is wet mint and heavily faceted over the entire surface. I won it at a Zaboo eBay auction and have always gotten a sense this one was just too wet and faceted to be vintage, a feeling that increased when I heard somebody was hand-cutting and polishing contemporary ones. Of course not having any other truly wet ones, it could just be my inexperience. Does anyone know who is making them this way today, and do you have any examples? Personally I don't care whether this one is vintage or not because it's clearly hand-cut and a piece of art, but I am very curious to know and would want to buy more of this caliber, vintage or contemporary.

I moved to MT a week ago. The window in my office, which looks out on our back yard, is perfect for lighting up my agates. I am thinking of making some sort of cat-eye mobile to hang from the window, maybe inside two plates of circular glass? It is stunningly beautiful here, and no doubt will also be stunningly cold to this Southern California native. Our back yard would be a small park where I am from. White tail deer and even beaver sneak in to steal apples. I already have a lead for two coffee cans full of pre-1950s marbles, so fingers crossed!

Wow...must...have...that....box

Sweet. It must be prototype pelt month!

Black bananas are gross! I prefer yellow and ripe, with light brown mottling.

Yes, and where's the fire?

Wow, nice! I would have outbid two of the winning bids, but of course the winners would have outbid me anyway.

I noticed a lot of handmades went for under low estimate. I should have bid!