Royal3

Does anyone know of a good, reliable marble polisher? I've got a Mark Matthews that needs a touch-up and I'd like to connect with one. Thanks!

I adore metallics, so great marbles, everybody! I just don't have any good pictures of mine. Here's the only pic I have on hand, of perhaps the oddest "metalhead" in my collection, a 5/8" Akro blue ox with a metallic coating. I bought this at a show years ago, and Roger Hardy later verified that Akro had run some of these. This is almost impossible to photograph properly for someone below rank amateur like me...but it's beautiful in hand.

I just happened to be browsing the cranberry topic when I saw this, so I thought I'd add a quick comment. At that time in 2008, the holy grail of marble making was lutz - everybody wanted to run pure gold aventurine, but it was very difficult to do, easily burnt. Some of the oxblood in the run- both red and burnt - no doubt came from the copper flakes (lutz) dumped into the top of the furnace that just got too hot or reacted badly (I'm no glass chemist.) There was also some bright yellow glass used that undoubtedly added similar effects. The black/gray on these cranberries? Honestly after eight years and a half years I don't remember, but I think it was likely lutz, or possibly black aventurine, but I'm not sure there was much - if any - of that. Lots of green a/v, some blue, and lutz. I don't think yellow would have been added to red glass, or purple - another color that shows up in later examples, notably the parrot. Just FYI.

These are a couple of my favorite onions, both with mica and just red & yellow;

Sometimes there's a dead giveaway when only one or two parts of the marble are exceptionally wet; any type with a patina that isn't uniform I always view with a jaundiced eye. But your best friend is definitely a 10 or 20X loupe.

Thanks for the great pics & reports, guys. Wish I would have gone; can't make them all but I hate to see good friends - and good marbles - carrying on without me, darn it...

Just to throw another log on the fire in here; George Sourlis has done tireless research of advertising & other marble related printed material over the years. Art Jones not many years ago spent a long session with George and his massive notebooks and learned a very interesting point that may or may not be germane. There is no record of Akro advertising or pricing pages for slags after mid-1930. If Akro came out with corks then, it might make sense to pull the passe slag that had been the industry staple for more than 25 years for the hot new ticket. Just a thought...

What a great analysis, Roger! Thanks for the hard work! I love both kinds of marbles as you do, and no doubt the CAC's are harder to find. While the really good, tightly twisted "9" examples of both kinds can command some higher prices ($50-80+ in some cases) nice mint ones are still really affordable (as low as $10) and I think undervalued. Andrea that is a KILLER marble... :Emoticon-jawdrop: I'm in LOVE! If you ever get tired of looking at that rascal, and it needs a good home, I PROMISE I'd take real good care of it... :Cool_653: Well, I tried - I wouldn't let go of it either!!

I gotta say I'd never heard of snotties until this thread but now I've got to go looking for some! I'llhavethat1's gag-me-green "Sinus Buster" takes the prize so far in my watering eyes Now if it just had a little vein of oxblood... :Cartoon_177:

Thanks for all the pics and hard work posting, Alan. It helps me relive what for me was an outstanding show week!! For those of you who missed it, it seems like everybody I spoke with had a blast, spent way too much money, but went home with great marbles and large grins. Also, for folks who haven't had the good fortune of meeting Alan Z., I have never met a more considerate, friendlier, more genuine gentlemen, in the best sense of the word. He is a true gem! Alan I wish we had had the opportunity to continue our discussion; I look forward to the next time. - Royal Morse

When I first heard the news of Les's passing, it was indeed a sickening feeling. What an indescribable loss for his family, his friends, and the marble community. You often hear the expression "larger than life" but you rarely have the good fortune to meet someone like that, let alone have the tremendous luck to be able to call him friend. I will always treasure his smile, his generosity, and the pride he had for his lovely family. My heart truly aches for them, and my prayers will be with them all. Royal Morse