david Chamberlain

Weighing in on this one again I don't have the foggiest idea as to value; these marbles are out of my league but although I stick with my support of Clyde in his history re. the evolution of the guinea characteristic given to certain striped opaques this one does not measure up to that in appearance. Not to say that it isn't worthy though. David

The only thing I see is that one half appears to be translucent red-orange and the other half translucent green which would make it rather interesting if that was actually the case. You don't see those half 'n'; halfs very often. Anything beyond that with this one would be purely conjecture. David

Thanks for the specifics about the older opaque ones. I was only going on the basis of the color for questioning this. I was strictly Depression Glass in the early 1970s and would grind the enamel off my teeth when I started seeing the reproduction DG coming along later. Of course, this cross-over item is too good to be true! David

It just frosts my a-- when I see this happening! You say this is the second time he unloaded one of these 'Moose Turds & Gotchas?' If I was living nr. San Jose I'd be inclined to get me a placard and march up-and-down in front of eBay offices highlighting this sellers perfidity. It really is a nice Champion Agate New Old Fashion and it's a shame for it to get a bad name being used in this fashion. Anyone here contact the seller and set him straight? Did he listen? It's a shame you can't identify the buyers these days so as to warn them. Guess eBay just wants another sale no matter the consequences. David

I've got Al's back on this one! David

Hard to see how you could go wrong if even only one of those Tri-Colors turns out to be cherry. Don't know what the Star designation means! And 97.whatever% is forgivable although the guy ought to be brought up on charges for his spelling of the word "marbel" Yikes! David

What do you think about that color? Doesn't appear to have the old pink color but does appear to have that muted down color w/iridescence. If an older example this should go through the roof! David

Hi Don, You should be especially pleased with this purchase. Alltogether too often Ravenswood are misidentified because they do not necessarily match up marble for marble with the ones from the 1987 find as doccumented in Castle & Peterson. I have done the same thing myself! You often go with what you are already familiar with....human nature. Killer score! David

There must be enough Ohio attics to remodel the entire country with an extra floor. Late 1980s Vacor! David

Kinda a cagey marble. The colors, the bubbles and all....I'm seeing Bogard too. David

And toss in the ubiquitous term 'submarine' as well. This guy has everything but the kitchen sink. We've hashed this one out over at Kevin's Board as well and generally have consigned the seller to the lower echelons. It's a mine field out there....step lightly. David

"Old and confusin'?" Was marbles ever anything but confusing! It's in the nature of the beast. Go with it! David

Just stick around.....the light will dawn! Many of the answers will be found in online possibilities but check out the marble bibliographies available at the Chat Boards and then pick up on eBay a book or two for an introduction. I think the Johnson, Metzler & Six book AMERICAN MACHINE-MADE MARBLES for machine-mades and Block's MARBLES-IDENTIFICATION & PRICE GUIDE for handmades. Also Castle & Peterson's books for machine-mades as well. Good Luck! David

O.K. lampwork but whose? Hardly Jabo. David

Actually, I don't believe the introduction of a 'hybrid' name for this particular marble with its borderline (striped opaque/guinea) characteristics was financial subterfuge at all. It was innocently coined as a natural expression for a striped opaque with extra pizzaz. Clyde has been quite modest in his explanation. Now I am absolutely sure that the typical eBay seller with hyping on his mind would latch onto the name 'guinea' to enhance the value of whatever he was selling but as a word used to describe this unusual effect in a striped opaque I think it is entirely innocent. David

I think it has generally been the opinion that if the Moonie when backlit gives off that reddish-yellow glow you similarly get from milk glass it is Akro but if there is a blue tinge to it the Moonie is Christensen. For a while there in the 1990s there were a bunch on 'Moonies' floating around which had the reddish-yellow glow but were creased all ta heck all over and it was hard to attribute them to Akro, Akro being so particular about the quality of their marbles, but I think they were dug Akro that just didn't measure up. The Hardys were selling them at what amounted to a discount like they'd have a full jar of them! David

The Alley Agate Sisterville group were actually Mike Johnson's marbles and they were dug as I recall. I had the opportunity to have marbles belonging to Mike for about a half year period during which I photographed them repeatedly. Some of my first marble photographs. The neat thing about the 15+ company marbles he provided me with is that he did it in the way of a test. I had to figure out what company they were from although he did provide a coded cheat sheet that I could refer to when I'd made my decisions. I forget exactly how well I did or how bad. This was early on! David

So, what do you figure, Alley Pennsboro? I got to looking and my Alley Sisterville that have cobalt blue and white swirling do not match up. David

Websters! There's something about leafing through that alphabetically and frustratingly going back 'n' forth attempting to home in on the correct spelling that makes it all the more indelible on your mind when you tie it down. Secondarily the small device by Franklin called 'Bookman' with adaptable cartridges. I have the Advanced Thesaurus model. David

Nice the manner in which this thread brings into focus the fact that 'collecting' has been universal and long-standing. Considering the beauty that marbles present it is hardly surprising that they experienced closet collectors from early on. Yet it is heart warming to be able to establish even deeper roots for what we love so much.....and during the Holiday Season at that. David

Just too bold for Ravenswood. Pattern bespeaks Alley but I don't have any like them. The cobalt blues I've come across that I could attribute to Ravenswood have not looked like this. David

The marble game Solitaire is a fine game but it doesn't compute being as it says for solitary play while Chinese Checkers is a multiple participant game. Somehow I think you knew this! David

Bob was one of the gentlest and most gracious of marble hosts through the years. I got to know him early on through his son-in-law and my marble mentor Russell Coppel(He of certain legendary marble reputation as well). It always made a marble visit to the Twin Cities an extra pleasure knowing that the Vayders were responsible for the marble goings-on. A good man. David Chamberlain