david Chamberlain

For the longest time I wouldn't have credited those individual marbles as Alox but Mike Johnson straightened me out! David

Bert would be the man but I wouldn't bother him over these. They really appear to be undistinguished crap. Sorry, but even if they did have Native Indian heritage I sure couldn't credit them @ $300,000. Of course, can you imagine what this would do to the price structure for marbles amongst the general public.....Yikes! David

All very nice examples. I'd like to stumble upon a Kayo as I have the Kayo Big Little Book from the 1930s. I don't need a whole set. David

There is very little marble making in Italy I've determined. Well, relatively little in the past but maybe that has picked up some lately since marbles have had such an ascendancy in interest. That left-handed twist could be a clue. It was Ro Purser's special signature(the left-handed twist) although this isn't Ro. His patented inside joke about making marbles was that he would be "twisting one up;" readily recognizable to any stoner! See pg. 22 Contemporary Marbles and related Art Glass, Mark Block (2001) David

You know, there's a distinct possibility this isn't a mistake and the person really thinks the marbles are worth this. I wonder what the reserve is......David

The exponential possibilities that arise when you start categorizing vane varieties and abnormalities thereof are a bit mind-boggling. You might not even want to go there. I suggest we have psych examinations for thems that have, David

There is an up side to most antique dealers not knowing squat about marbles! David P.S. Then, of course, there's the down side(I figured I'd best mention this or I'd get bombarded)

You could possibly get them at Land of Marbles. Pete might have some in back stock. Unfortunately the ones that I have are in a Factory ID set sent to me in the early 1990s from Guadalahara and I just can't break it up. They were sent to Marilyn Barrett for her book AGGIES, IMMIES SHOOTERS and SWIRLS (The Magical World of Marbles) 1994 and she almost sold them at a Yard Sale before I snatched them up. As in "Yikes!" David

Oh yeah. I've actually got one of those cat's-eye bags. Plum forgot! You figure.....David

Yes and very! What's "paas"? David

Interesting. 25 years ago? The marbles look like Vacor de Mexico Flamas and Stripers(That's the right period for them) although I'd think with the MK connection the MK people would have preferred to have their own marbles in the bag but maybe didn't have any control over that or didn't think of it. That is the MK logo on the bag. By the way, Beri is speaking at the Texas Marble Show coming up I think in April; there's specific info. re. the show on AllAbout Marbles and undoubtedly on this Board as well. David

Going with your gut is a good idea; 'twill keep you out of trouble a lot of the time. Still, practice makes perfect or somewhere on the road to perfect. I'm strong on tactile recognition and heft in addition to experience.....David

Penelope, You almost need to be taken by the hand to make your way through the minefield of Reproductions especially if you're relatively new to the hobby. It's tough often for ol' timers! Trust helps especially when you recognize it in sellers. A little faith. But mostly a gradual accumulation of knowledge that with Reproductions mostly comes from examining them in hand and after also having handled the real thing. It's a tough one. Marbles are not easy. Besides being an arcane collecting field it's a minefield as previously mentioned. David

Unreal! I'd probably gladly pay a modest premium for one of those Eagle Benningtons as well. David

Thought I knew how to provide a link to the Board but guess I've yet to figure it out....sorry! David

I don't know about you but 'cooking' has negative connotations to me; like "cooking the books!" Re-melt seems so much more benign. I know it's just semantics but for such beautiful work it deserves a more elevated term. David

Can't but help agreeing with Sami but then you'd have to admit that there's something thoroughly charming about a faceted pontil where ever one happens to surface. David

I've got this vision of a renaissance in marbles on the NASCAR circuit. Sponsorship of the National Marble Tournament. Donations to the National Marble Museum at the American Museum of Glass in WV. Don't stop me now! David

Alan's my man! Both the Turners(Danny and Gretchen) and Alan have handle the business of marbles with consummate professionalism. David

Y'r orange one augurs well as an auger. David

And I thank you for the Link as well; it 'tiss a veritable treasure trove. My condolence Gene. Bummer.....big time. David

Oh my Gawd! Do you think you have enough of those Big half 'n' halves?. Geeze! Never seen that many of them since they first arrived at the shows in the 1990s. Dare I ask how many of the corkscrew varieties you have? David

Ah! Two weeks ago.....I wasn't around then. Missed that one. David

What a guy! David

I'm not sure how to make it any clearer but let me try. These marble oddities have come about whilst attempting to "make a beautiful marble"(I quote Dave McCullough); any effort to duplicate these oddities I think would if anything bargain less in the possibility of them occurring. And also the extra appreciation of their unusualness would evaporate into thin air. You must understand that I sit around and worry about these things. Someone has to......David