david Chamberlain

Actually I've found the Tank Washes to be of lesser stature than the main runs, not that I don't have some killer Tank Wash marbles. What I've liked about the Tank Washes is that they're usually smaller marbles. David

I think that we each one of us have in our mind our own idea of what a Guinea is suppose to look like. Often the major collections completely blow away those misconceptions. And the examples shown in books often do the same thing. I'm not saying that Bob didn't have a fake slip into his book COLLECTING EARLY MACHINE-MADE MARBLES (2003) but as I mentioned above if you go to page 138 you will not only see the spittin' image of this marble but others of the same style. Also I viewed all the eBay views of this marble and can't figure how anyone could determine one way or the other that there were multiple surface bubble pops. Mind you, I'm not defending this marble I'm just providing some fairly solid reference information that appears to go against most of the opinions in this Thread. Guineas are most definitely not one of my strengths. David

I will emphasize for thems who ain't got it yet that Mike's initial post in this thread was concluded with a "Not!" thereby negating what had been said before. Who was the comedian who was the initial practitioner of this word? All anyone has to do is read Webb's chapter 10 in "Greenberg's Guide to Marbles" Edition 2 (1994) titled Glass Machine-Made Marble Production to be amazed at the complexity of marble production. While every effort is made to create what one wants the minute by minute not fully controllable changes that are occurring and the periodic addition of ingredients often in seat of the pants shovelfuls do not necessarily result in something that is either a perfectly purposeful product or a completely random result. Thank goodness that they are at least trying to do something right at Jabo. As for the canard of "He said," "...there was some talk that," "...did someone else say," "...some folks have discussed doing it," and on and on. Well, all you've got to do is call Dave McCullough and ask him what his intentions are. Tell, you what, I'll save you the trouble. All he wants to do is make a pretty marble and have fun doing it. I'd say, Mission Accomplished! David

Alley had some special pee wees. I believe Clyde told me once that he had managed to get together over a doz. different Alley Agate Co. Pee Wees. Marble King made a group of cat's-eye pee wees in five different colors each one four vanes and 3/8". It's cool to have a set of them. They came in bags of 90 I think it was. Charlie Stutsman stuffed those Red Boxes (USA 10 Cents) with Champion pee wees, mostly solid colors or transparent colors). Of course Vacor has put out sets of cat's-eye pee wees. I think they're the 6 vane, 3 color, 3V variety. I have a few Cairo pee wees that were dug. There are Bennington Pee Wees. There are matrix pee wees a colored clay marble used in late 19th Century Century Matrix Design Games. Jabo definitely and some colossal ones. And don't forget Akro. Anyway, there are a few to think about. Oh, all sorts of mineral marbles have been made in pee wee size and my favorite are some perfect bullseye malachite pee wees. David

Photo artifacts....I like that. Checked in with Sturtz again and this time he says that he has seen very , very few w/aventurine and what they had was inconsequential. By inconsequential I'm assuming what he means is like when I'm repeatedly turning a marble in my hand and finally I seem to catch a flickering action along a narrow swirl of color that could as easily be the grain of the glass more than anything else. Bo, Sturtz says, pick up the phone and call him although presently he is on the road during a marble circuit. Or he's heading off on Monday. David

Boy have the contemporary marbles become intense since I was somewhat immersed in them back in the early 1990s. They've developed hyper space light speed. David

Hi, It must have gone right over my head. You know, those Sturtz phone calls are generally marathon and I will admit to zoning out at times, not necessarily going comatose but slipping a notch or two in consciousness. David

Except for the 3/4" size I might have guessed European or those Alox ones that started popping up a half year ago plus. As Master they're pretty neat. And the add'l ones posted here with also some brushed appearance are especially nice. Most all of my Master Sunbursts are normal....whatever that is! David

It's great that you've been posting these. They are truly humbling. I'm in awe! David

Well I went and looked in about four different places because I was curious. I did talk with Sturtz and he was oblivious to any with aventurine. Maybe he wasn't fully engaged when we talked the other day. Found that rather surprising after your comments on the subject. Clearly I've never had a clear handle on these 3/4" ones from that run and didn't have enough of them to maybe even run across aventurine although I thought I had some killer ones anyway. I've only photographed them and talked about them in one article and in some submissions that went pass the board at Schiffer when they put out that abomination "Popular American Marbles" with all the blurry photographs. David P.S. When I referenced the Golden Rebel in my previous post I was talking strictly about Peltier lest there be any more confusion.

What's the size on those? 5/8"+ maybe? 11/16"? Got any pertinent information about their acquisition? Definitely wildly different. David

I'm probably more inclined to fictional and fanciful than flat out IDing. Expect more off-the-wall articles or set pieces like the "How 'Bout Them Marbles" at joemarbles.com rather than full on date driven, statistically laden and referenced offerings. I'm more inclined to just add my 2 cents worth than to adopt any collaborative editing. Whatever I do separately will be pretty much self-contained and leaning more towards appreciation of the marbles than fixing them in some historical continuant. This is not to say that you shouldn't go right ahead and forge ahead with what works best for you; I just have too much on my plate to be any more than a casual supporter. O.K? Re. posting where Jabos are maybe more emphasized in their promotion I think I'd be more inclined to post in multiple places but especially bring my contributions to this marble subject where the clear collector interest is most evident and that's right here + at AAMs, etc. Anyway, I think Jabo marbles transcend their own milieu; they are truly transcendent! I'm not about to suggest a separate forum for say Ravenswood marbles. David

I don't have that much of a mind or temperament for the long run when it comes to certain projects but it is my intention to continue to photograph certain Jabo runs and write about them. In other words I'll not be providing an exacting and detailed accounting of each and every Family in the runs along with variation statistics. There are no books in my future plans. I lean more towards picking out my dozen(usually less) or so favorites, waxing eloquentIBig words!) about them, photographing them in interesting motifs and letting it go at that. This you can count on from me. David

Great reference for Bakelite. I'd bet on lucite for this pacifier! The 'clunk' test is a winner. I just love those very first View-Master bakelite viewers. I sell VIEW-MASTER vintage..... David

I appear to be mistaken re. the ID comparison to Indian Blankets or Indian Wool Blankets. Have been talking with Sturtz. As mentioned I have diddly in the 3/4" ones from this period although I'm sitting fat with 5/8" and otherwise. Also I'm not hearing from anyone about all these different aventurine colors in the 3/4"s from that period. On a separate note I've always understood that a Golden Rebel with attractive black aventurine would have a markedly higher value. No questions asked! In general I'm not finding, at least for me, that the aventurine presents IDing problems. Like Galen says when he encourages Jabo to use glitz to differentiate potential problem marbles, I consider it a non factor.....really. Actually I think the marbles w/o glitz are more in the tradition of vintage marbles. Not in a problem IDing sense but in a respect for tradition sense. I like it when a marble makes you stand up and salute it on its own w/o aventurine, lutz, mica(Especially w/o mica). And there are many of the Jabos since 2008 w/glitz that I also like. Still those coming off the rollers right now without anything but color are my kind of babies. I want them! David

If wishes were..... Morphey's go to man when it comes to marbles is Brian Estepp. I don't know about the final knock down price you guys are talking about here but I've always had a certain affinity for the number '23' myself. You figure! David

So, what are the stats so far on this run. Has anyone had a chance to figure that out or have all of you been so non-plussed by what was accomplished that you're still recovering? I definitely need more than the eighteen that I have! David

Joe Street's "Show Reports" are classics as soon as they are up on the Boards. The guy has a touch that no one can touch. It is a proper sign of respect to be Archived. But let the latest hang around for a respectable amount of time for those of us who most of the time get bogged down at the main Board and the ID Board. David

What I loved about Les was the atmosphere in his room; it was like Les was holding court and justifiably so. David

I hear ya! What a great movie(Ronin) too. To have De Niro, Jean Reno and Natascha McElhone in the same movie....well. And don't forget Stellan Skarsgard. I was sold on Reno as well as Portman in the movie "The Professional." I think that was Natalie Portman's first movie and it was a gutsy role. Yeah, sometimes it does feel like I'm spilling my guts. I've always had a thing about going down in flames! Why do things halfway? David

Those measurement figures on your caliper though are Greek to me. I'm old school. I live and breath fractions of inches. David

The Halliburton case is actually designated on the case as a Camera Case. It has a little bit of the appearance of the Case for skates in the movie RONIN but is narrower and has only one combination lock whereas the skate case appears to have two combination locks. I've been told that they originally ran a couple hundred bucks. I got a doz. items from my neighbor and he was only asking $100. I wrote him a check for $125 I was feeling so guilty. I even told him to reconsider selling the things. I'm already wearing one of the Swatches and I've never been a watch wearing person. By the way the Indian Blanket is 'Beaver State' Pendelton Woolen Mills. The cap guns weigh just an oz. over 1 lb each. I was practicing with them last night! David

You see the other USA marble boxes in the larger sizes much more often than you do the smaller blue Ravenswood box I am convinced. I like those marbles in there; they are all together different than the ones from the 1987 find that I have been talking about in sets of 33 different. Actually I put together once a set of '57' different. And you're right they all seem a little or lot out-of-round. The marbles in them are similar to the ones also dug at the Hastings Pine Grove dump site. I got examples of those from Mike Johnson. I think my Ravenswood article shows these well. Again, I am basing my thoughts on the availability of these only by my experience coming by them which has been far and few between. They sure are different. Maybe most people wouldn't be excited by them but to me their being Ravenswood is enough. David

Sure had no idea I'd be winding up with some of the following items today but a neighbor clearly had me figured out as to what would appeal to me and I wound up buying among a doz. things all together: (1) One of the earliest swatches(see thru), (2) pr. of late 1940s/early 50s cap guns(heavy) w/holster, flip out cartridge, sweet weight, (3) a boomerang by Colorado Boomerangs handcrafted, numbered #20/24 and signed and dated, (4) another boomerang but primitive with carved Kangaroos for real!, (5) A Halliburton Camera Case(combination lock, maybe not bullet proof but it looks like it. (6) very nice Indian Blanket, (7) a Basket that has to be checked out. I sort of collect baskets..... and on and on. Why do these things present themselves when you're not fully flush? David

I've had 2 o3 3 of his butterfly designs but this one you put up does indeed have the perfect simplicity and symmetry of Japanese art work. David