Mike

What if we up the ante on the Jabo Green Brick thing? Go check out the latest Jabo Green Brick from The New Decade Run of 2/8/10 that has a "Tail" on it as if it were hand-gathered. I am sorry to direct you to my Ebay listings (Mikeymarble) but have no clue as to how to post photos here. Any of you are welcome to get the photo and link it here if that removes some of the commercial aspect of what I am doing. Am I selling or educating? Both.

After thinking about the above post a little longer, I should tell folks that the Silver Jabo Ox some of the discussion is about came from the NEW DECADE RUN of 2/8/2010. What a great name for a run given the past history I mentioned above and what is going on these days with Jabo marbles. I think tomorrow, I will list another Jabo Silver and some of the family transitionals that it came from. I am strongly considering including a 3/4" vintage Akro in the group for comparison. I do not mind selling the vintage Akro in the group as it looks sort of tired and beat up compared to the new (some colorful) Jabo's sitting with it. You will be able to spot the Akro in the mix because of all the "Hit Marks" on it. the Jabo will be pretty much close to mint! Thanks, Mikeymarble of "Lost your Marbles"

I love how all this has seem to come full circle. In 1999, I am sitting in a motel room at Amana trying to sell nothing but Jabo marbles. I will say that about eight or nine out of ten folks who stopped into my room said.....Oh! It is all just Jabo.....let's keep going...no sense in even stopping in here. Most folks would not even come in and look to see what I was selling. Some of it,(I thought was pretty good) as I am selling solid Tie Dye boxes for $7.00. Now, probably some of the folks that would even take a look back then are talking about how good or how close to vintage the Jabo stuff looks. I love it! As for the Jabo Silver Ox mimic listed on Ebay having a little flame effect, that is just an accident of the way the glass flowed at Jabo and I believe that the same could have happened with a vintage Akro back in the day. I think Akro probably made a few more silver oxbloods than the few Jabo's that happened by accident in the run I was involved in. Maybe some folks should quit knocking Jabo and start buying some if they are troubled by them. I did and continue to do so!

All, Since many are interested in Jabo marbles looking too much like vintage, I just listed a Jabo Green Brick type marble on Ebay for your enjoyment. Search Jabo Green Brick and you should find it. I sell under Mikeymarble. I should let you all know that I was sitting at the Jabo factory with everybody and we said....."What if we could make a green brick that looks like the old stuff?" We measured out the right amount of base glass, picked the most perfect color rods to match color and threw them in at the right place at the right time. I should mention that this was all done in the middle of run while making some 50 other coleo combinations but we were good! Five minutes later, we had the perfect knock-off. NOT!!!!!!!

If getting one of these Jabo Bricks without any touch marks in pristine condition is what is holding you back, I might be able to help. Only adding this comment so that folks know that not all Jabo Special run marbles have as-made marks.

Go to Ebay and type in Jabo Silver Oxblood. Look at my other stuff too. I will not even charge $400 for it! I have read some of this stuff with great interest on the "Be Aware" topic. Some of the comments are really Far Out! I invested in the 2/8/10 New Decade Run with a couple other folks and there was never any talk about let's make something that looks like something. I think I and my partners would tell you that some of the time we wish we would have anything other than what came out. Sometimes we would have been happy if they came out round like some vintage marbles. Tell the truth, once the base glass is in the tank and color rods start getting added, I don't think anyone knows what is going to happen. Sometimes, Dave says I think this burst is getting a little dark and I think I will try to lighten it up. Sure enough, sometimes it goes darker as something hadn't worked it's way through the mix yet. You pay your $2.00 at the window and you take your chances! Dave throws a yellow rod in, says wait for twenty minutes and an hour later the yellow never shows and we get pink. The pink on the surface of the marble finnaly did show up as yellow though. The yellow was inside the marble when it fractured. It was pink on the surface of the marble and yellow on the inside. Don't ban me for causing trouble but I really do think the Jabo's are better than some of the old name brands that sell for hundreds. Some folks are really touchy about postings here and are too quick to shut you down or kick you out.

I was just seeking some opinions from the folks here on the board about a name for some Special Run Jabo Marbles. I thought Jabo Christensen Commemoratives had a nice ring to it. I was even thinking about doing an advertising jingle......."Christensen! Nobody knows from Jabo." Christensen Exotics, Layered Sand, American Agate, Turkey's, Flames, Slags, Bloodies all by Jabo but with Jabo in real small print and Christensen print real big in front of all the preceeding names. What about various reproduction boxes of the original Christensen boxes with them filled with Jabo Special Run mimics? Good Idea that is affordable!

Why move heated discussion to the Squabble Zone? We all pretty much know how the discussion will come down as the same old posters will be on one side and the others will be on the other side. Is it a squabble, discussion or educational? I am not really sure but think folks have a strong opinion on many sides and should be able to have their say. I would not be in a hurry to move anything from the front page unless folks use the seven banned words. If it gets to personal and name calling gets foul, ban them but do not move stuff around unless you tell folks why. It seems pretty arbitrary to me. This is just my humble opinion and I hope you do not ban me or move me to the Squabble Zone for this post.

Who cares about this crap? I am just posting because I like to provoke crybabies who think the sky might be falling. The only folks crying and bitching about the preponderance of JABO's seems to be the folks that have CAC's. I have a bunch of JABO's, some look like CAC's and cost little. I have some CAC marbles and a couple flames, paid little when they came in a mix and am happy. I do not think that I will post negative stuff about JABO or CAC marbles for years over this stuff. What is the deal and the thought process that makes one so concerned?

Would the CAC's in the photo be the ones with only two bland colors?

Hey! One of the posts I read on this thread said that Jabo did not make black. I have very many different kinds of Jabo production from many different years including the special run marbles where there is plenty of BLACK with other colors. Show us your Jabo's with black.

Can't say that I expect much on this post. I collect vintage and Jabo but with the exception of hybrid Popeyes, Master, Akro Sparklers, some Vitro and a few others, most all older are all mostly three color-marbles like Superman, Christmas Trees or maybe a four-color transitional and the like. I think the Christensen Exotics and Sand-layereds can compete. I heard Jabo was about to perfect a sissors adjustment on their machines to put a cutline on some of the new production that should give the Exotics a run for the money.

Show me your best pictures of machine-made stuff and not Jabo! Read further. I have noticed that there seem to be folks who are not too big on Jabo, those who like them quite a bit and others that tolerate about anything on this board. It would seem and look like that some of the recent special-run Jabo production has a variety of colors, uses some exotic glass (ox, multi-colored adventurine and other stuff)and has sometimes shown intricate patterns including flames & sqiggly type effects. I also note that the Jabo marbles sell for mostly $1.00 - $10.00 unless it is really something new and unusual. I have seen many pictures of vintage marbles that are rare, unusual, have two or three-color combinations and may have ox or adventurine in them also. Most command many dollars but if you knew nothing about marbles who would come out on top in a showdown? I like the Akro sparklers as they are very colorful and somewhat affordable at the same time. Why don't some of you folks show your best examples/photos of vintage/old colorful marbles that make these upstart Jabo things take a back seat. Price and rarity will not be a consideration as we are just looking for color. Oh! If you Jabo lovers have a marble that you think kicks a vintage examples ass, you may post a picture as a reference and a challenge. Bring them on folks!

OK! You must be a stickler for detail. I have found it much easier to never let facts get in the way of illustrating or making a good point. I was trying to keep in the spirit of some of what is written here. Maybe my dad was asked to invest in a bottle. In any event, he did not and what happened after that was history.

Gary, I am 63 and getting ready to invest even more in Jabo marbles. I have been and am starting to list even more of my Akro, Vitro, Champion, Peltier, Master, , Contemps and the rest to get more money so I can buy even more of the worthless Jabo special run marbles. My Dad was offered a chance to buy into a glass bottle design for only $500. He passed and it was the Coke Bottle. I don't think the next Jabo run will bring my investment back to even in my lifetime but I really do not give a rats ass. I like Dave and like the marbles. I like having cases of the stuff in my house. I often give Jabo marbles away wherever I go and when people come over, I show them, I give them some and they love them. What else is there in life? I think CAC flames, exotics, sand layered, 3/4" of anything CAC, guineas and any of the other rare CAC marbles are the bomb too. I am prepared to pay anyone $1.00 to $5.00 each for any mint example they care to sell me.

If there are only eight colors, Home Depot could sure cut down on inventory. My Sherman Williams color selector only has a few thousand color blends to choose from. I'll bet that most paint retailers wish they only had eight but then the customers might go to a place where there where they had more choices. Based on the post, I guess maybe there are only eight major colors and the rest are all variations of the eight. When I was little and playing for keeps, my friend Mike was color blind and only had two colors and shades of Black/White/Gray in between. His idea of a really good marble was not based on all the information. I also liked to win many of the things he put in the ring. I would offer to help him out with his selection.

I might add that I bought an Alley with blue in clear for $15 from a digger. Some other guys told me it was a Champion and after seeing other examples in quantity believe they are right. I really do not care one way or the other as it is nice and I liked it. The tank wash was a little cheaper at 4 for a dollar and have many more colors and they should do well in ten years or so. What about the guy that purchased a few cases (25 pound boxes of 5/8" marbles) containing approximately 2,500 of the "Tie Dyes" for $12-$20 a box. If he is still sitting on a few cases after only 10 years....you do the math. They bring $2.00 or more each. Thats it and I am done for another few months. I would rather read a good fight than get into one. Mike

Hi Folks! Not really replying to anything. I live in Pittsburgh and just got home from the Sistersville show. I have not been to a show for a number of years. I loved it! People gave me stuff, I bought some stuff, I traded for stuff, got some education, people told me what I had has was or was not, my wife came and it did not rain while I was there. I saw people that I like, people I have not seen for 6-10 years. Bud came from Washington state. People had great stuff....old, new, modern & made by Eddie as you watch. I bought a bunch of Jabo. Some folks don't like them and say they are crap! I picked up a little bag of four for a dollar "tank wash." I had to buy about 75 of them as I thought that in 60-80 years that the 5-8 colored little things (some with Jabo Oxblood)ought to bring as much as an exotic sand-layered Christensen. I thought maybe my great, great grandchild might use them to pay for college. I like the "Lawn Chair" metallic's too. They have a variety of LawnChair marbles for sale. They have them with extra colors, different sizes and Jabo Oxblood in them. You folks that do not like Jabo should all pass on this mass produced crap and kick your self in the butt in a few years for not understanding capitalism. Just my opinion and mini-review of the show from my perpective. Thanks, Mike

Dear Folks, I have been reading this board faithfully for a couple years and this will be my second post. I guess I am a "Lurker." I enjoy the information, the great photos, the many opinions, the squabbles & everything that comes by way of this board. I think it is all great! I figured that I would throw something out, put to paper what went through my mind & see what happens with the various responses. The words are about collecting. I collect 1950's - 1960's ceramic TV lights in the shape of a stalking panther. I got about forty of them and am now looking for a red and a blue one. My wife hates them and I can only display one. The rest are packed away. I love my wife but some things are just hard for her to understand. Most panther lamp colors colors can be found at garage sales for $5-$10 but I have paid $150 for one before because I wanted another one and somebody had it. I like to collect stuff and maybe even obsessively sometimes. I think there may be others out there like me too. I also collect US postage stamps, once collected coins and have accumulated plenty of other stuff that most would see no value in. My main passion for the last 25 years has been toy marbles. I started wanting nothing but old handmades but someone had figured out before me that they were worth keeping and I could not accumulate enough of them to make me happy due to the price they were commanding. I moved to vintage machine-mades as they were easier to find and affordable for a while. I coveted old boxes too but most of what I wanted was out of my reach. I then discovered Jabo & Vacor and found that I could buy thousands of them for virtually nothing. I got deep into Jabo because every spring & fall the colors were different and every so often could find a few that were, in my mind, special and limited. I liked them Jabo marbles as well as any Peltier or Akro I had. I started selling some of them to be able to purchase more marbles and keep my happy home as my wife thinks they are nice but does not understand having a few hundred thousand pieces of round blobs of glass around the house. My first marble show was Amana, I rented a room and brought some older machine-mades & Jabo's to sell. It was a funny experience. I discovered that some folks did not like what I liked and they were vocal about it. There were Republican & Democrat marble people. I had more Jabo than any other marble and 9 out of 10 people that came into the room would say.....Oh! he just has Jabo lets go to another room. This was bad for my self esteem and made me feel bad about my taste. This was my first experience with marble people. I was unemployed, trying to see some marbles, buy some marbles, sell enough to get food, gas, pay for the room and get back home. Some folks were either visionary or felt sorry for me as I sold about $700 worth of Jabo. Mostly they liked the Tie Dyes and a common red/yellow marble called a Hot Tamale. I was at the factory a few days after the Tie Dyes ran and I would estimate that there were 80,000 - 120,000 of them made. I traded a gallon bag of loose Tie Dyes to the Moon Marble guy to get one of his jobber boxes of Mega Michaelangelos & hear him play his blue harp. Where did all those Tie Dyes go? I only have a few of them now. I estimate that there were 2,000-3,000 pounds of black/orange Harley's but I never see any being sold. The common red with a hint of yellow called Hot Tamales were really made in quantity too but today they are hard to find. I just said that there were probably a half a million marbles made in three different colors and you can hardly find any of them today. I own a bunch of the new "Special Run" marbles but because they are all exploding in my basement due to bad glass chemistry, I doubt that I will be able to contribute to flooding the market with them. I enjoy the passion and strong opinions on marble stuff, good/bad, floods/drought, old/new and enjoy reading it all. It entertains me. Collecting marbles entertains me. Sometimes I sell some and that entertains me. Some folks buy them and they are entertained too. Go figure! When I do decide to part with some and they bring a dime a marble, that is what they will bring. I give many marbles away everywhere I go to folks and kids that do not collect marbles and they love the one cent Jabo's and the $10 Jabo's all the same and they do not know the difference. They are entertained. It is all OK. One hundred years from now, we will all be dead and nobody will read or care what we said here about marbles. But somebody in the future will end up with the marbles and they will love them or hate them. The ones that want them will be happy and entertained. They might even feel lucky. My dad told me that it is because of this that they make different kinds of ice cream. Enjoy your choices. If something is or is not for you, it is or is not for you. For all those folks that get horse poop under the Xmas tree and are excited because they think that there has to be a pony close by........let them think that as it is better than the flip side. Your comment please. Thanks, Mike

I am starting to get worried about exploding Jabo marbles now! I purchased about 300,000 of them in the early 90's and have moved them twice to a different State and now they are stored in my basement. I have heard loud popping sounds coming from my basement but thought it but thought it was the electronic air cleaner on my furnace working. Do you think that all 300K of marbles might explode simultaneously and blow my house up? I now no longer let the cat in the basement to use the litter box due to cat safety concerns and have forbidden anyone from using the washing machine. The other day, before I knew about the exploding Jabo's, I opened a case of 2,200 5/8" ones to wash and sort and noticed that there were two or three broken ones in the bottom of the case. I feel used and cheated. I feel that this situation is a ticking time bomb. What if terrorists get some Jabo marbles? Think of the havoc they might inflict on all of us. Thanks for the warning.