ann

I have to agree with Alan. In addition to being "heirloomed," marbles are small, round, and have relative weight, meaning they're goin' down as far as they can go every time the earth in their vicinity is disturbed. The only conclusion that can be drawn from a group "find," if that's what's pictured, is that none are older than the oldest one found in the group. That being said . . . there are a couple I wouldn't be comfortable dating to before 1930. Focusing on the nice red & white "9" at right center: the marble to the right of it, the extremely flamey purplish one, looks suspiciously like an Alley to me. Unless it's one of the Veiliglas ones, as you suggest. And the green-based white swirl above the R & W one . . . just looks like a WV swirl to me. Don't think I'd put either of them pre-1930. But that could just be me. In several places I've seen the ones we generally refer to as Japanese (spidery pontil) attributed to the 1950s, but I've never seen any evidence put forward for or against that. So I have no idea, really. That whole class of marbles (Japanese, German, Canadian, Jovian) has suddenly become a can of worms for me . . .

Don't take my word for it either. But I'm gonna go stand over there beside Steph. At least until Galen gets here. Or some other CAChead.

Cut lines are not usually obvious (or even visible) on Akros, although sometimes you'll see "eyelashes" there. But each end of a corkscrew will be where the cut took place, whether visible or not. Pretty much any time you see a corkscrew (wrapping around at least once, although there are some fat half-hearted half wraps every now and then) it's going to be Akro. They're the only ones who had the machinery for them --

I agree. I think Akro's the only company to use that color combo.

Looking at the new photos, that could also be an Alley. Here's one I have that might resemble it --

I like all three of John's possible scenarios. Going off to work on theory # 4 . . . Spara50: What a nice box of Shamrock Marbles! John: Do you still have one or two for sale?

Well, you know, if I have to be miserable . . .

I particularly like these!

Well, you certainly started with an eye-catching one! I like it. And agree that it's probably Alley Agate. If you look closely, is what appears to be black there really a dark purple? Or a dark wood-brown color?

Looks like an Akro corkscrew. If clearer pics confirm that, then I've found that a yellow cork on white is one of the harder-to-find white-based one-color corkscrews. Not rare. But not just laying around, either.

What she ^^^ said.

The middle one might be an Alley. Maybe the one left of it too. But it would probably be safer to just say "West Virginia Swirls" for all of them. Not quite enough distinctive characteristics to really call a maker on the others. (JMO)

I feel like them. I awoke to a snow-covered world this morning. >>running around in circles shrieking<<

Thanks Hansel! Anybody else able to post earlier and/or later pics? I'd love to understand the "significant difference" between them, as Hansel and others here have described it. Although I doubt I'll ever fondle any of them in person, more's the pity.

Never mind the Nova idea, then. . . oh well

Hmmmmmm . . . I could make room for them too . . .

How big is this, Darla? (I'm thinking weird Nova if it's big)

Yes, you too, mon!

Just adding to mon in asking for "old" and "new" exotic pics. Again.

John -- Thank you for your post #82. You've put together beautifully some of the things I've been thinking about in a scattered and almost deer-in-the-headlamps kind of way. Ann

I have a Koehler one on plain white (that's the first one I've seen on a corkscrew!), and one with the number 4 topped by a crown, in blue on white. Both from Alan. When Bill wasn't looking.

Thought for a minute I did. But when I checked to make sure, it was Davidh7336 I'd done business with . . . no help at all.

One theory that I find interesting (not saying I believe it, though) is that the guineas in particular, but also the cyclones/cobras, were gathered by hand and rounded by machine by Fiedler himself as a way to show off the colors he was proud of. It's another explanation for the low numbers of those types. And I realize this is heresy, but I don't think all the credit for CAC glass should go to Arthur Fiedler. As somebody up there ^^ pointed out, CAC glass came primarily from Cambridge Glass. Just something to keep in mind.

That was refreshing! Thanks, John!

Something I'm curious about is the mention (a couple of times in this thread) of "early" exotics and "later" exotics. Leaving aside the dithering over the name "exotic," for the moment (it seems to me that pretty much everyone who has collected vintage marbles for a while is familiar with the term, regardless of what Galen insists), I'm sure most of us would really appreciate it if someone -- anyone -- would post one or two examples of "early exotics" and "later exotics." For those of us who are interested but who have never seen the real things (whatever their origins). Please?