david Chamberlain

Popeye Collector, Unfortunately I'm not making it to Amana. Travelled out this year and too much to do what with a major need to tackle the cottage(1916) this summer big time. Scraping, sanding, filling, sanding and painting outside. Shake work. New front steps. Screening the porch(again). Then there's inside: wallpaper, paint, sanding floors and finishing, and so forth. Gawd, it scares me some when I spell it out like that! Maybe Amana in 2011 when I head back for a 50th College Reunion. Possibly doing a marble presentation. I've just had my fill of driving the Buick for those long hauls. Albuquerque to California and back is about my speed these days. David

Me thinks ye do Jabo proud. Do you have documentation photos of the specific marbles you've used for each rework. It would be fascinating to see the beforehands juxtaposed. You know, Jabo marbles especially these special 21st Century Runs could turn into a significant source for glass artists wanting to expand their color palette and I'm sure other reasons that you guys making marbles could more easily espouse. Got to check the one with the S and see how you've worked it. Got caught up in the earlier ones and was somewhat blown away. Busy day too. David

I forgot the story about Pinkie. Sorry! We need any little bit of affection we can get when the going gets tough. I have a mind-meld connection with my dolls. I operate on the same level with cats. Me and Spock! David

Actually Ken my "relevant" reference wasn't directed towards you; it was to Scott. Couple sweet bullet-molds you've got there. One of these days I'll maybe have the opportunity to help sell some of the Mother Lode of Czech. Bullet Molds that were uncovered in the mid-1990s at that thrift shop in Monterey CA. I keep getting teased about the ones I haven't seen or bought or handled on commission. I'll keep you in mind. Not all of my prices are outrageous! David Edit: I should add that the Mother lode only consisted of 126 Czech Bullet Molds total but they were sweet.

Not only is it not transitional it isn't even tangential. David

The marble in question smacks of newness all over it. Labor is still cheap in China! David

You are definitely my kinda woman Pen although that somewhat scaggy doll avatar makes me a little nervous. David

Let's see, other than the fact that at least three different people have previously remarked in this thread that there's a Czech Bullet Mold resemblance I guess there's no reason for them to be mentioned. That it is an established name Czech. Bullet Mold Guinea I suppose is irrelevant. That the underlying important subject of this thread is possibly fraudulent selling on eBay I guess has been overlooked as have its relevant extra Guinea references. So I imagine it doesn't have a damn thing to do with anything.....f----n' amazing! David

I should add that the marbles are the score although numerous among them are suspiciously Champion but different Champions than the ones that Charlie Stutsman stuffed the boxes with. Better! David

I should have been more specific in my description of that Silver-Grey(with Tiger Eye-like shimmer) one because I also have seen the many newer ones that do have a similar effect but it is much different. O.K., here's a breakdown on the old and the newer bullet molds that you mention Galen: PRE-WAR CZECH. OR NEW DUSSELDORF, GERMANY BULLET-MOLDS - A. The old are almost exclusively opaque whereas the new are uniformly semi-translucent. B. The old have a scattered or random color application whereas the new have a repetitive and uniform pattern to the color application. C. The old have the color applied to the surface over the matrix color whereas the new have the repetitive color pattern right below the surface. The old have a semi-gloss surface sheen whereas the new have what can best be described as a flat latex surface look, almost a sand-blasted appearance. The paint terminology pretty much suns it up.(This was D. of course) David Chamberlain

Not! Unfortunately I must rain on your find. The boxes have been stuffed. They never held Ravenswood according to any knowledegable Ravenswood collectors I have known. In the late 1980s/early 1990s Charlie Stutsman had a significant inventory of these Red Boxes and stuffed them himself with Champion marbles. Never Ravenswood. There was a slightly shorter blue box with graphics otherwise exactly like this red box but with a different variety of Ravenswood marbles(No opaques, most all translucent swirls). I recognize some of these marbles as Ravenswood but they are alien to the box. I have never seen one of these mint red boxes(in this size) with anything other than Champion marbles in 20 years. This red box is pretty much legend amongst old line marble collectors. Heck, in the Smithsonian Magazine marble cover issue which shows some of Bert Cohens wonderful accumulation of marbles in one montage photograph there right in the middle is one of these Red Boxes. Cracked me up when I saw it! David

Hey! When you need your back covered you can count on me. I calls 'em like I sees 'em. David

So far with the great number and variety of Jabo marbles that I have or have had I have only twice experienced two completely coming apart after being with me for a while. Like crumbling into dozens and dozens of pieces not just cleaved in half or thirds. Total disintegration. Sorta Cool actually. David P.S. I'VE SAVED BOTH OF THEM TOO!

Anything to bring as much definitive knowledge as is possible to the concern over this marble as far as I'm concerned. David I must be incredible dense what with Ken already posting in this thread. These Avatar names manage to eluded me at times. I would be interested in hearing if he has ever seen anything that comes remotely close to the marble in question in a transparent older Czech bullet mold, of course, with seam. I have had a very few Czech Bullet Molds where you can hardly detect a seam. The positioning of the colors is generally a clear determinant. Again, they've all been opaque. I've had few old transparent ones. They never appealed to me as much as the opaque ones. Although I've had one with a Silver Grey almost tiger's eye shimmer to it that was an outstanding Czech Bullet Mold. A marble to die for. Even at $350 I felt it was cheap! Decent size as I recall 3/4"+ There are Czech Bullet Molds that are worth more, David

Looking at the background in the picture Ann I do think something went terribly wrong right at the moment the picture was taken. The background is skewed at least 25% off. There could easily have been a space warp right at that pivotal moment; maybe even a space-time warp. These matters need to be taken into serious consideration. David

Re: Czech Bullet Mold Marbles. I have handled some early Czech Bullet Mold Marbles(Pre-WWII). I actually provide a four point breakdown on the difference between the old bullet molds and the new ones made in Germany after the war when the machinery actually went to Germany from Czech.(I abbreviate because I can never get that word right even with the 'red' spelling warning that this computer has and I'm too lazy to go to my Webster's). Anyway, I've handled some serious bullet molds and have had some that approach Guinea stage except they are by and large and practically entirely from what I've seen OPAQUE. Of course they have the seam. The colors are not always Christensen in appearance but at times they are. The coverage is never like this marble in the thread. I have a strong feeling for Czech. Bullet Molds. You might want to ask Ken Humphreys about this marble if you have concerns/doubts as he claims to have a significant collection. You can reach him through Joe Street @ joemarbles.com David

There's something about that Berry Pink marble and its partner with transparency as well as the variations thereunder that always gets me where I'm sensitive regarding the flow of history in marbles that so many people seems to bypass in their fixation strictly on the marbles. Thanks for bringing Berry Pink and Marble King front and center. David

Nice job. I would imagine that this marble will not reach it's final state 'till complete disintegration occurs. Do you have a 24 hour watch on it? David

O.K., I'm retracting my previous retraction and laying odds on when this joker comes up with his third box of marbles. Maybe we can have a raffle on how many marbles will be in it and how many salted JHM & SP round it out for the unsuspecting. I'm going with a number under 100; let's say 87. Anyone else care to pile in on this? Anyone let him know yet that we're on to him or at least some of us are. I just don't understand why when a seller has a sure thing going he right away blows it by thinking in the 21st Century he can get away with it twice. David Chamberlain

One night ain't hardly enough to rally ones thoughts into any sort of a coherent mass. Of course receiving 94 (including a bonus of 19) Frankie's Marbles the same day that this Thread hit the Boards threw me an add'l curve. By the way, thank you very much BibleFreak. They truly live up to their advanced publicity. I'm happy! This was a landmark marble run! David

I'd say that the previous post was pretty much proof positive of SP's contribution to the confusion that exists today. Many years ago I was in Danny Turner's(Running Rabbit Auctions) room when we encouraged this man to sign his marbles. Our argument was that for him it would bring respect and enhance the value of his marbles. At the time Scott Strassburger (sp?) was selling them for something like 2 for $15. Well, you all know how effective that argument turned out to be! David Chamberlain Edit. In all fairness I should correct the price above. I was putting in vegetables and it came to me that it was 2 marbles for $25, not $15. Let's be fair about this!

Any of the German Sparklers I've seen have all been of a smaller size and decidedly different in appearance than these that you have come up with Winnie. Yours might just be a first surfacing of this style and size. Then any minute I'm sure someone will chime in and offer a like example with provenance. That's the way it works. But I suspect this is the first time these have been brought to the attention of quite a few people. David

Let's see guys, the mini-Video is expressing your complete and total bewilderment to the Post beginning this thread? Thinking the best of you I'll conclude that you are 100% in congruence with the thoughts expressed and suggested for consideration but you still are reserving the right to be non-plussed. Well, so am I; I'm hardly immune to mind-numbing when one's head starts tripping on marbles. Hey! "Twist one up for me!" David

Can't imagine why not. It would be a nice gesture. Jim was one helluva guy. Pearl Harbor experience which he related to me in one letter. Fascinating. He loved his marble students and they wound up later visiting him much as if it was a visit to Mecca. Jim would be right at home amongst all the other recipients of the honor. David P.S. By the way, I was ribbing Steve; no way could I pass up an opportunity like that what with my considerable experience as a volunteer in health services.

Gee, I wish I'd been there when you we're trying to get blood out of a turnip. Oops, I mean Steve Sturtz! I was a whizz for many years at Planned Parenthood in drawing blood as a volunteer Lab Tech. I'd have got enough from Steve to pass samples all around. Clearly we need some DNA evidence from that guy for 'crimes' committed! Hey! Couldn't help jumping in here during your Party and being a Posting Pooper. You go Texas! By the way, let us not forget Jim Ridpath, trainer of National Marble Champions and quarterly newsletter extraordinaire for many years as the 1st inductee into the National Marble Museum's Marble Hall of Fame. David Chamberlain