ann

No, unfortunately. There was no mention, for instance, of this patent being an "improvement" over an earlier machine. One could "read into" it that this machine had been developed to do that, but I've been well-trained to not "read anything into" anything. I think the best that can be said (and it's not really any help with the early slag issue) is that it's clear from the patent that the "feathering" was an effect that thay were or had been striving for, and that this machine had solved the problem. Whether or not there were (1) Peltier hand-gathered slags, then (2) Peltier machine-made slags with no particular distinguishing characteristics, and then (3) Peltier's very distinctive feathered slags -- or whether -- well, any other scenario you might want to imagine. Are there very many slags that have been identified as pre-fethered Peltier? I'd assume they would have to have been found in original packaging for the ID to be made?

Thanks to everyone -- this has been really interesting. I DID go over and read the entire thread on LOM, and printed out the 1928 patent last night before I left work, and read it at home, at my leisure. The patent was actually a model of clarity in comparison to some of the things I've had to read over the years (try early and mid-20th-century archaeological excavation reports from the Near East and southern Russia, for sites dating to the 1st millennium BC. That'll get you going!). And I have to say that if you do take the time to read the patent and locate all the reference points on the drawings, like marblemover says, it actually seems obvious that the machine, if built, would produce the feathered slags Peltier is famous for. In general, overall operation, it worked essentially as migbar describes. And referring to the thread on LOM, it also could probably have produced at least the early wildly-patterened "Miller" swirls, and with some adjustments (also provided for in the patent) even the earlier multicolored swirls. But going only by the language used in the patent itself, it seemed clear to me that the intention was to produce the machine-made slags that Peltier did, in fact, produce. The descriptions of the "striating" materials and the "striations" and their distribution sounded exactly like the close-packing of "vanes" on edge (mentioned in this thread by semdot) rather than lines -- in transparent glass, so that the special effect would be very noticable. I'd also like to thank semdot for giving me a great new vocabulary word in chatoyant! It's also exactly that right word to use when speaking of the "Shadow" mib by Mike e that I have, even though the effect was produced by an entirely different method -- Ann

.755. I like my marbles small. Ann

Among other things, I already had a very nice small collection of Peltier slags before I stumbled over the Joker run on ebay - - and got hooked there too, obviously. As I was playing with -- er -- looking at both the other night (not simultaneously) it occurred to me to ask those of you on this board who know or have had marble / glass conversations with Dave McCullough: has he ever speculated about, or have any of you ever asked him (as today's master of machine-made marbles) how the heck Peltier managed to produce those crazy-fine featherings in their slags? Feel free to direct me to the archive file if it's been discussed before -- I go there and scratch around pretty regularly anyway -- Thanks, Ann (not the one with the iphone game!)

I think what people for a long time called the CAC pistachio (with black, sometimes flames,on glow-like-heck green) are now usually ID'd as Alley -- Anybody have any good reasons for thinking either way? Just curious, Ann

Oh please don't start another argument up. We were doing pretty well the last couple of days.

Could be Mad Man. But also maybe Steve Willis? Ann

Great idea! Obviously I can't put off getting a camera any longer. Your photos are always great, Alan -- what do you use? Anybody else who likes the results they get -- what camera do you use? Thanks, Ann

At the risk of being burned at the stake, I'll just say that I certainly appreciate glangly's words but I also sincerely beg everyone else to refrain from turning this MARBLE FORUM thread into a relgious one. Please. Thanks, Ann

Jealous! Speechless! Could hate you! But I won't! Ann

Red in Explorer. But now, looks like most day-old (or so) posts are in black (they were red yesterday, when they were fresher) and new posts are in red - - - Not that I care. It's just curious . . . Ann

Yea! 100! I like the Fight Club forum idea. Those so inclined to bicker (or worse) could have free rein there, and the rest of us could get back to helping each other learn more about -- gee whiz -- marbles. Ann

It absolutely makes sense. Mine sounds the same, more like a 1" than a 5/8. Also, when I went back and checked mine, I realized it's heavier than I remembered -- at least heavier than an antique china marble of the same size. It's definitely fired clay, and the colors were applied in the oil-and-water manner I described above, but I don't know if the surface gloss comes from some kind of clear coat applied after the oil-based colors dried, or the colors themselves are glossy. I'd guess the colors are glossy -- if I rub the surface lightly with a finger there's a very slight resistance, or a kind of silent "squeekiness." Obviously, words fail at this point. Try yours! Ann

I'm seeing them all in red, too - - - Ann

Yes. please -- use the telephone or private email for your personal feuds. You wern't misunderstood by me, migbar --I agree with you. I was referring to - - - others, the posts above yours . . . Ann

This may sound like a crazy question, but what does it sound like if you hit it against a stable, solid surface? Not too hard, acourse. Ann

I like it too. But what's with the red? Not that there's anything wrong with that. Ann

I can't believe how virtually every topic on this board degenerates into accusations and name-calling. Unreal. I'm with Akro Gatherer. Come on. KUMBAYA.

I have one too, and mine's the Italian clay one, very light weight. The interesting coloring comes from the (originally Italian)technique of "marblizing" paper, particularly the endpapers of good, expensively-bound books. Works on the oil-and-water-don't-mix principle. Oil-based colors are carefully floated on water, sometimes raked into lines or patterns, and, in this case, the marble (affixed to something like a pin) is dipped straight down through the colors and into the water, then slowly pulled back up through the colors, which are then deposited on the marble, as you see it. The result is pretty. Ann

The marble in the link Alan posted is the marble I was talking about. And am glad to know I'm not crazy. At least not crazy about that! Thanks all, Ann

Wish I was clever enough just to paste a link here, but I'm not, so check out an "Indian" on ebay that the seller (oas3) swears is antique, just - - - remarkably preserved. Ebay # 310152902923. He even says "you're going to think this is contemporary, but it's not." Am I crazy? Anybody ever seen a genuine old indian that looked like this?? Thanks, Ann

I never knew Beverly but was lucky enough to buy a good handful of marbles from her collection. I've STILL never found better examples of the types of antique ones that I bought -- or if I have, they'd gone way past my price range. AND a rare Cooprider marble. Anybody else have one? Just curious -- Ann

Thanks, Griff -- I appreciate both the info and the reluctance to repeat rumors! Ann

Although most (but not all) of my marbles are antique or contempory ones, I've become enamored of the private runs at Jabo (and thanks to bemar a very very tiny contributor to the Ultra run), and I feel - - wierdly involved, somehow! For those of us less knowledgeable about the current status of Jabo (there was a mention of a potential sale of the company? the last custom run?) could someone give us a brief explanation of the situation? Thanks, Ann

From my way-too-many years of experience as an art historian & art museum slave, I can say that this is a characteristic representation of a boar, pretty much anywhere and anytime you look -- ancient Egypt, Greece, Rome, and all. So I'm with Steph and the other razorbacks. Ann